Ohio prosecutor: Chances of February execution nil

COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio is weighing changes to its lethal-injection law that are meant to restart executions, but the updated law will undoubtedly lead to lawsuits that will make carrying out the next scheduled procedure on Feb. 11 impossible, a prosecutor said today.

The Summit County prosecutor's office is not counting on Ronald Phillips' execution happening, said Brad Gessner, the office's chief counsel. He said the condemned child killer's death is overdue.

An earlier court filing by the office said the chances of Phillips' execution happening were "nil."

"February is not basically something that we're counting on," Gessner said. "We're at that point that regardless of what is done with the law, the opponents of this punishment will do whatever they feel they need to do to delay this."

The legislation up for a final Senate vote later today that would shield the names of companies that provide lethal-injection drugs to Ohio, a provision that supporters say is necessary to obtain supplies of the drugs.