Craigslist killer appeals death penalty

Craigslist killer Richard Beasley has filed an appeal of his death penalty convic- tion with the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Akron Beacon Jour- nal reports Beasley, a death row inmate from Akron, is arguing that Ohio Supreme Court Justice Patrick DeW- ine, the son of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, should have recused himself from Beasley’s case when it was before the state’s high court. The Ohio Attorney General’s Office assisted with Beasley’s prosecution and argued the case before the Ohio Supreme Court.

“We see it as a conflict of interest when your father’s office is arguing a case before you,” said Akron Attorney Donald Gallick, Beasley’s attorney.

The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether it wants to consider Beasley’s appeal.

This isn’t the only time that the issue of Patrick DeWine and Mike DeWine’s relationship has been raised in a court case. Patrick DeW- ine recently recused himself from a case involving the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT), an online charter school, that Mike DeWine’s office was involved with, according to a Columbus Dispatch article.

The Ohio Supreme Court upheld Beasley’s death sen- tence Feb. 9. Beasley had challenged the sentence because he said there were multiple trial errors.

Beasley was convicted of posting bogus job offers on Craigslist to rob and murder three men in 2011. Beasley and his teenage accomplice, Brogan Rafferty of Stow, were convicted in 2013. Rafferty was sentenced to life in prison without parole.