The State of Ohio killed my client today, his name was Darryl Durr. This was not the first time I have had a client executed, and probably will not be the last. I guess what was so bothersome about today, is that it does not seem to be a big deal anymore, it comes around once a month in Ohio, kind of like the full moon, and no one pays attention. When I am at my office in NM instead of here, the only way I know there is an execution is if I put it on the calendar.
It used to be that we, as defense attorneys would at least be reminded by our colleagues on the listserves that another Ohio death row inmate was executed, but not even a mention anymore. If it had not been my client, I would not have know. Let us do whatever we can to keep these executions from coming common place, even if Ohio is trying to make it that way. I ask you to at least say to one other person today, “Ohio Killed another one today”. Maybe it will make that person think about it. Ohio is becoming like Texas, and it greatly saddens me.
My thanks to all the colleagues that have sent notes of encouragement to me today. It was appreciated.
I will share one thing about this case, and that is that I was overwhelmed with the support I got from lawyers “who did not have a dog in the fight” ACLU lawyers Carrie Davis and James Hardiman with the help of Jeff Gamso picked up Darryl’s DNA challenge and ran with it. There was some good lawyering going on there, with no benefit for themselves, just a belief that what happened to Darryl was wrong.
And as a private practitioner doing this work- -it is hard. But the Federal PD CHU —Carol Wright, David Stebbins and Allen Bohnert and paralegal Shannon gave me great assistance and support over this last week. And Kim Rigby from the State PD also jumped in and ran with Darryl’s DNA litigation over the last nine months. It was greatly appreciated by Darryl and me.
So I say to you, my defense colleagues—Ohio killed another one today, it was my client, and his name was Darryl Durr.
Kate McGarry*
McGarry Law Office
