URGENT ACTION APPEAL UPDATE 9 September 2005 Further Information on UA 221/05 issued 24 August 2005 Death Penalty USA/OHIO: John Spirko (m) Governor Bob Taft has issued a warrant of reprieve for John Spirko, delaying his execution date until 15 November 2005. He had been due to be executed on 20 September. The reprieve was issued on 8 September following a recommendation from the Ohio Parole Board to allow it time to hold a rehearing of John Spirko's clemency petition. In a statement the governor said, "I support the Parole Board's decision to accept the proposal from both the Attorney General and counsel for inmate Spirko to rehear Mr. Spirko's case and reconsider its recommendation." The clemency rehearing is set for 12 October. John Spirko was sentenced to death in 1984 for the kidnap and murder of Betty Jane Mottinger in August 1982. He denies carrying out the murder and no physical or forensic evidence links him to the crime. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please continue to send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible: - calling on Governor Bob Taft to commute John Spirko's death sentence. APPEALS TO: Governor Bob Taft 30th Floor 77 South High Street Columbus, Ohio 43215-6117 Fax: 1 614 466 9354 Email: (via website) http://governor.ohio.gov/contactinfopage.asp governor.t...@das.state.oh.us Salutation: Dear Governor Urgent Action Network Amnesty International USA PO Box 1270 Nederland CO 80466-1270 Email: u...@aiusa.org http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/ Phone: 303 258 1170 Fax: 303 258 7881 ---------------------------------- END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL ----------------------------------
