Bill allows death-penalty evidence post trial

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Condemned killers could gather post-trial evidence in their death-penalty cases as long as the information doesn’t embarrass, annoy or unduly burden the witnesses involved, a legislative committee agreed Wednesday in approving a revision to an Ohio capital punishment bill.

The Republican-controlled Senate Criminal Justice Committee approved the change along party lines but did not vote on the bill itself.

Sen. Bill Seitz, the bill’s sponsor, said the revision was an improvement over current death-penalty law, which leaves it up to judges to decide if condemned prisoners can gather post-trial evidence at all.

Seitz said judges often deny such requests.

Wednesday’s debate involved what was supposed to be a relatively noncontroversial bill updating procedures in death-penalty cases after a conviction.

Supporters said the revision merely adopts the same standards for protecting witnesses during evidence gathering long used in Ohio civil law.