Ohio Supreme Court affirms death penalty for Donna Roberts

Staff report

COLUMBUS

The Ohio Supreme has Court affirmed imposition of the death penalty on Donna Roberts, 72, who conspired with Nathaniel Jackson to kill her ex-husband, Robert Fingerhut, with whom she had been living in Howland Township.

Writing for the court majority, Justice Terrence O’Donnell said Roberts helped Jackson plan Fingerhut’s 2001 murder in a series of letters and phone calls while Jackson was in prison on an unrelated charge.

She also actively participated with Jackson in the killing by purchasing a mask and gloves for him and allowing him into the home, evidencing prior calculation and design.

Justices Sharon L. Kennedy, Judith L. French, Patrick F. Fischer and R. Patrick DeWine joined Justice O’Donnell’s opinion, which was released Tuesday.

Roberts is the only woman on Ohio’s death row.

Although they were divorced, Roberts and Fingerhut lived together, and Fingerhut owned two insurance policies worth $550,000, naming Roberts as the sole beneficiary.

Roberts began an affair with Jackson, who later went to prison on convictions unrelated to this case. During his incarceration, he and Roberts exchanged numerous letters and phone calls, in which Jackson repeatedly avowed that he would kill Fingerhut when he obtained his release.

Roberts, complaining about Fingerhut’s control of her finances, wrote to Jackson to “[d]o whatever you want to him ASAP.”

Fingerhut was found shot to death just days after Jackson was released from prison.