Alton Coleman’s last pleas for life failed. He is scheduled to die at 10 a.m. today by lethal injection for the murder of Marlene Walters.
Coleman tried to appeal his case to the parole board April 16, but the board rejected his appeal in their recommendation letter to the governor.
“I find the aggravating circumstances of this crime as well as Mr. Coleman’s other extensive and violent conduct outweigh any mitigating factors, and I can find no compelling reason to grant clemency in this case,” said Gov. Bob Taft in a statement.
“For these reasons, I concur with the unanimous decisions of the Parole Board, and Mr. Coleman’s request for clemency is denied,” the statement said.
Coleman’s attorney, Dale Baich, filed a few other cases with the Franklin County Common Pleas Court, including one regarding the number of witnesses observing the execution.
The attorneys argued that the prison’s closed circuit system is a type of broadcast which is considered to be unconstitutional under the Ohio law, said Vanessa Griffin, the staff attorney to Judge Beverly Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer ruled against the attorneys, motioning that the closed circuit system is not a form of broadcast.
Baich and Coleman’s other attorneys also argued that only three witnesses can watch the execution according to state law, Griffin said.
The judge said the statute did not clearly define how many, so the state could use its discretion.
The judge pointed out that the victims’ families should be able to witness the execution since the execution can only happen once.
Although Coleman is on death row in Ohio, Illinois and Indiana, Ohio will be the state to put Coleman to death.
“It’s because of the nature of death,” Griffin said. “It can only occur one time.”
The closed circuit system televises the execution only to the closed circuit viewing area, Griffin said. Fifteen witnesses related to Coleman’s victims will watch the execution from the closed circuit viewing area.
Walters’ husband Harry Walters, son Daniel Walters, and son-in-law Scott Lillard will be in the viewing room to observe the execution.
Along with the Walters family will be several media witnesses.
Coleman was convicted for eight crimes during a multi-state crime spree in 1984. His death conviction stems from the Marlene Walters murder which occurred July 13 of that year.
Coleman convinced the Walters to befriend him, and he manipulated his way into the house. He ransacked the Walters’ house, tied and beat up both Harry Walter and Marlene Walter, leaving them for dead in the basement of their house.
Their daughter, Sheryl, found her parents in the house a few hours after the incident. Harry Walters was the only survivor.
