Ohio Delays All Executions Until 2017

Ohio has delayed executions until 2017 because of problems finding supplies of lethal injection drugs. The announcement on Monday means Ohio will go at least two years without putting anyone to death and marks another setback in efforts to carry out capital punishment in the state. The Department of Rehabilitation and Correction says the dates of 12 inmates have been pushed into the future through warrants of reprieve by Gov. John Kasich.

The developments mean Ohio will not execute anyone until January 2017. More than two dozen executions are scheduled nearly four years in the future, to August 2019. Ohio has run out of supplies of its previous drugs and has unsuccessfully sought new amounts, including so-far failed attempts to import chemicals from overseas. (Oklahoma recently called off all executions this year.)