Board rejects mercy for condemned Ohio killer

COLUMBUS (AP) — A condemned killer of two whose request for mercy was rejected today by the Ohio Parole Board has no additional appeals planned, meaning his fate now rests with Gov. John Kasich.

Harry Mitts Jr. is scheduled to die by injection Sept. 25 for killing two men, including a suburban Cleveland police officer, during a 1994 outburst at an apartment.

Mitts uttered racial slurs before shooting his first victim, John Bryant, who was black, according to court records. He fired on two police officers as they approached his apartment where he’d taken refuge, wounding one and killing the second, Garfield Heights Sgt. Dennis Glivar.

At trial, Mitts’ attorney argued that Mitts suffered an alcoholic blackout that night and didn’t know what he was doing.

But the lawyer handling Mitts’ appeals and mercy request says there was no basis for that defense.

Atty. Jeff Kelleher says Mitts’ original lawyer missed the chance to tell the full story: that Mitts was depressed and caused the disturbance in hopes of committing suicide by being shot by police.