Spirko sentence commuted to life in prison without parole…
It wasn’t exactly what Spirko’s attorney’s had hoped for, but the Governor has commuted Spirko’s sentence from the death penalty to life in prison without parole. Fox Toledo has the details which include Governor Ted Strickland’s reasoning part of which:
“John Spirko was convicted, by a jury, of a heinous murder. At times, when he wasn’t denying having committed the murder, he appears to have admitted doing so,” Gov. Strickland said in the statement.
“Ohio and federal trial, appellate and supreme courts reviewed his conviction and upheld it. Alibi claims and claims regarding evidentiary weaknesses, including more recently developed theories and interpretations of evidence, were considered by those courts and rejected. In addition, Governor Taft and I granted Mr. Spirko, collectively, seven reprieves to allow for the analysis of DNA related to the case. Once completed, these DNA tests neither exonerated Mr. Spirko nor implicated him or anyone else.
“In addition, Governor Taft and I granted Mr. Spirko, collectively, seven reprieves to allow for the analysis of DNA related to the case. Once completed, these DNA tests neither exonerated Mr. Spirko nor implicated him or anyone else.”
Well, with a lack of any positive physical evidence to convict Spirko, perhaps a commuted sentence is the prudent thing to do.
January 10th, 2008 at 12:07 am