Convicted murderer Lawrence Reynolds now has until next Tuesday to recover from an apparent suicide attempt before Ohio state officials carry out his death sentence.
When Reynolds was found unconscious in his cell over the weekend, the state faced a predicament: save the inmate scheduled to undergo lethal injection in a matter of days at taxpayer expense, or let him die. The state chose the former option, and has rescheduled his execution, which was previously planned for today.
"We have a constitutional duty to provide health care for this inmate until the execution commences," said a spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. "And we are legally responsible to carry out executions under the law. We will meet both our legal obligations."
By a vote of 59-39, the Senate