R.I.P. Mark Wiles

Roman Colosseum lit to protest an execution

Ohio executed Mark Wiles on April 18, 2012, for the stabbing death of Mark Klima.

In requesting clemency, Wiles' defense team argued he should be spared because he confessed to the crime, showed remorse and maintained a good record in prison.  They further argued that the parole board had been inconsistent in prior decisions, and that Wiles was not "the worst of the worst." Clemency was also supported by a report that Wiles had suffered a head injury 12 days before the slaying, and that the injury was to the part of the brain that regulates impulse control.

In his final statement, Wiles said, "since this needs to be happening, truly I pray that my dying brings some solace and closure to the Klima family and their loved ones."

This is the 14th execution in the United States in 2012, the first in Ohio.