COLUMBUS, Ohio – An Ohio report says that one and possibly two prison guards apparently falsified an electronic log documenting checks on a death row inmate who committed suicide just days before his execution was to go forward.
The report released Monday says one of the officers also did not conduct the required rounds. It does not say, however, whether the guards, if they had followed the rules, might have prevented the Aug. 4 suicide of condemned killer Billy Slagle.
Slagle's Aug. 7 execution appeared on track despite a plea for mercy from a prosecutor, who said Slagle shouldn't have gotten the death sentence.
The guards were placed on paid administrative leave. The union representing guards did not immediately return a message for comment.
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Andrew Welsh-Huggins can be reached on Twitter at https://twitter.com/awhcolumbus.
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