Ohio governor delays 8 executions during appeal

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio Gov. John Kasich has delayed eight executions as a court fight continues over the constitutionality of the state’s lethal injection process.

The Republican governor’s announcement Friday postpones an execution scheduled for next week until May. It also moves seven other procedures months into the future.

Kasich said the timing of arguments before a Cincinnati federal appeals court necessitated the delay.

The court is hearing Ohio’s appeal of a judge’s order finding the state’s latest execution process unconstitutional.

Kasich said he’s confident Ohio will win the appeal, but the court calendar didn’t provide enough time to prepare for executions scheduled this month, next month and April.

Ronald Phillips, scheduled to die next week for raping and killing his girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter, is now set for execution May 10.