The Ohio Parole Board wants to grant Ronald Post clemency - 19 Action News|Cleveland, OH|News, Weather, Sports

The Ohio Parole Board wants to grant death row inmate clemency

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The Ohio Parole Board confirmed that it is recommending clemency for a death row inmate.  The board says this is based on claims raising doubts about his legal representation during his trial and that it has nothing to do with his obesity.

According to the death row clemency report, Ronald Post said  that his two attorneys were always at odds with each other and that he was told if he did not issue a plea of no contest that he would receive the death penalty.  Post said he got "screwed". 

He also claims he was just the driver in what he thought was a robbery and that he wasn't aware of a murder until he read it in the newspaper.  Post says that the two guys he was with during the robbery were brothers-in-law and that it was their goal that he take the fall for murder.  The report also states that Post recounted his sympathy for the victim's family during his trial and spoke of his recent marriage, stating that he wants to be a full-time dad.

The parole board voted 5-3 Friday to recommend that Gov. John Kasich grant Post clemency.

The ruling did not mention Post's claim that he is too obese to be humanely executed because he weighs 450 pounds.

A federal judge was to hear arguments in Post's obesity claim on Monday.

Post was sentenced to the death penalty for shooting Helen Vantz, a desk clerk at the Slumber Inn during a robbery.

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