aclu of ohio
House considers ‘stand your ground’ bill; critics call it a racist legal concept
Legalized lynching. Citizens’ license to kill. Codification of black men’s deaths. These were just a few of the characterizations people offered to the Ohio House Criminal Justice Committee of a “stand your ground” proposal that lawmakers reviewed Tuesday. Starting in the afternoon and continuing well into the evening, a steady stream of citizens implored lawmakers […]
COVID-19 only underscores ACLU’s longstanding fight for society’s most vulnerable
As history painfully reminds us, during times of social uncertainty, political opportunism often leads to attacks on our civil liberties. At the ACLU of Ohio, we don’t choose between protecting people’s lives and safeguarding democracy. We can do both at the same time. Our organization’s priority work has long been about standing up for our […]
‘Ambulances leaving at all hours’ from Ohio federal prison, a COVID-19 hotbed
Craig Wilson, 42, is about halfway through a 10-year prison sentence for possession of methamphetamine and a firearm. He’s afraid he won’t survive until early 2026, when he’s slated for release. “I feel like I’ve been handed a death sentence,” Wilson said in a recent court filing. He’s one of about 2,400 inmates currently incarcerated […]
Some groups are educating Ohio voters about the primary voting system. Others are fighting it.
Time is of the essence. Civic groups in Ohio are split between promoting the 2020 primary election system put in place by the General Assembly and fighting for a better one. With the mail-only absentee ballot deadline now officially set, some advocate groups are getting to work educating voters about the multi-step process. It’s not […]
Conversion therapy is a discredited practice. Ohio hired its advocate as an expert witness.
The Ohio Department of Health hired a conversion therapy advocate to serve as its expert witness in a civil rights lawsuit filed against the state, despite the medical world’s rejection of the practice. ODH lawyers retained Dr. Quentin Van Meter, a pediatric endocrinologist from Georgia, at rates reaching $450 per hour, to support the state’s […]
Senators reverse course on criminal reform bill amendment
ACLU of Ohio pledges support once again on SB 3 Members of the Judiciary Committee unanimously decided to strip an amendment from Senate Bill 3 that had included stricter penalties for drug offenses under certain conditions. Those penalties came from adding language from the separate Senate Bill 55. Some proponents of SB 3 had responded […]