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Prosecutor Reacts to Reagan Tokes Act

Photo of Ron O'Brien
Karen Kasler

The prosecutor involved in the case of the kidnapping, rape and murder of an Ohio State student in February is pleased with the introduction of legislation named for her. But he thinks changes relating to release and monitoring of accused criminals could have happened sooner.

Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien says he fully supports the Reagan Tokes Act, which would allow for sentences to be lengthened for violent inmates and more rules on GPS monitoring of those who are released. But O’Brien notes that some of these ideas were agreed to by a criminal code study committee of lawmakers and other experts, but those recommendations haven’t been considered as legislation yet.

“I think sometimes it takes a tragedy for the need to be sharply in focus of people in this building and take action,” O'Brien said.

Reagan Tokes’ accused killer was released from prison three months before her death. He’s pleaded not guilty, but police say his GPS ankle monitor shows he was in the park where her body was found. 

Karen is a lifelong Ohioan who has served as news director at WCBE-FM, assignment editor/overnight anchor at WBNS-TV, and afternoon drive anchor/assignment editor in WTAM-AM in Cleveland. In addition to her daily reporting for Ohio’s public radio stations, she’s reported for NPR, the BBC, ABC Radio News and other news outlets. She hosts and produces the Statehouse News Bureau’s weekly TV show “The State of Ohio”, which airs on PBS stations statewide. She’s also a frequent guest on WOSU TV’s “Columbus on the Record”, a regular panelist on “The Sound of Ideas” on ideastream in Cleveland, appeared on the inaugural edition of “Face the State” on WBNS-TV and occasionally reports for “PBS Newshour”. She’s often called to moderate debates, including the Columbus Metropolitan Club’s Issue 3/legal marijuana debate and its pre-primary mayoral debate, and the City Club of Cleveland’s US Senate debate in 2012.