As a federal court fight continues over the state’s new proposed method of lethal injection, a freshman state lawmaker is proposing expanding the death penalty in Ohio.
State law already makes killing a police officer eligible for the death penalty. The bill from northeast Ohio Republican Rep. Dave Greenspan of Westlake would allow that punishment when any first responder, including firefighters, EMS and military members die at the hands of criminals.
“If they’re so intent with such malice in their heart and determination in their mind to commit an attack against a first responder, none of us are safe.”
Greenspan says his bill doesn’t address Ohio’s current issues with capital punishment.
Upcoming executions have been delayed while a court determines whether the state can change its method of lethal injection because the drugs it has wanted to use aren’t available.
