Commute the Death Sentence of Jason Getsy

Target:

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland

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Petition to Commute the Death Sentence of Jason Getsy

We, the undersigned, urge Governor Strickland to commute the sentence of Mr. Jason Getsy.

In 1995, Jason Getsy was sentenced to death for his involvement in a murder-for-hire homicide, that had been contracted for by John Santine. Irreconcilable jury verdicts resulted in Getsy being sentenced to death and John Santine, the defendant who initiated, contracted for, and paid for the murder to be sentenced to life imprisonment. Two additional defendants, Richard McNulty and Ben Hudach, were sentenced to life imprisonment after they were allowed to plead guilty. A jury found only 19-year-old Getsy guilty of the crime of murder for hire initiated by Santine and sentenced him to death. The Supreme Court of Ohio allowed Getsy's death sentence to stand, but expressed its dismay about the disproportionate nature of these inconsistent results. We feel that the Governor should use his authority to commute this death sentence and thus overcome the inequality of the sentences for this homicide.

Action petitioned for: We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens who urge our Governor to act now to commute the death sentence of Jason Getsy.

Petition to Commute the Death Sentence of Jason Getsy

We, the undersigned, urge Governor Strickland to commute the sentence of Mr. Jason Getsy.

Action petitioned for: We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens who urge our Governor to act now to commute the death sentence of Jason Getsy.

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Mr. Getsy will be executed by the State of Ohio this coming Tuesday - August 18, 2009. Governor Strickland did not agree with the recommendation of the Parole Board (5-2) in favor of clemency. Thank you for your participation in trying to save a life. Below is the Governor's statement as presented on the Governor's web site:
"Governor's Statement Regarding Parole Board Recommendation for Jason Getsy

Columbus, Ohio %u2013 Governor Ted Strickland today issued the following statement regarding the Ohio Parole Board%u2019s recommendation regarding executive clemency for Jason Getsy:

%u201CAs a result of his conviction for aggravated murder, Mr. Jason Getsy is scheduled to be executed on August 18, 2009 at 10 a.m. I have completed my review of Mr. Getsy%u2019s request for executive clemency.

%u201CIn conducting this evaluation, my staff and I reviewed the record of proceedings and the evidence presented in Mr. Getsy%u2019s trial, as well as the record in his co-defendant, John Santine%u2019s trial. We also reviewed the judicial decisions regarding Mr. Getsy%u2019s conviction, and arguments presented for and against clemency by counsel for Mr. Getsy and by the Trumbull County Prosecutor, respectively. Finally, we reviewed videos, photographs, letters, petitions, media reports, and emails received in the Governor%u2019s Office regarding this matter, the Attorney General%u2019s recommendation, and the July 17, 2009 recommendation of the Ohio Parole Board, along with the exhibits presented at the Parole Authority%u2019s hearing and letters received by the Parole Board regarding Mr. Getsy%u2019s case.

%u201CSubstantial attention has been focused on the different sentences imposed upon Mr. Getsy and his co-defendant, Mr. Santine. Mr. Getsy and Mr. Santine had different roles in the murder. The fact that Mr. Santine was not sentenced to death is not, by itself, justification to commute Mr. Getsy%u2019s sentence. Mr. Getsy%u2019s sentence was based on his conduct and based upon our review, which included consideration of the differing Santine and Getsy sentences, I do not believe executive clemency is warranted. Although my decision is inconsistent with the recommendation of the majority of the members of the Parole Board, I appreciate and respect their thoughtful consideration and review of this difficult case."

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We signed the "Commute the Death Sentence of Jason Getsy" petition!

# 98:

9:29 pm PDT, Aug 15, Name not displayed, Trinidad And Tobago
The Parole Board recommended commuting to life imprisonment. Why have experts if one is simply going to override their recommendation ? I agree with the Parole Board, please consider revising your decision.

# 97:

12:16 pm PDT, Aug 15, Vicky Kontou, Germany

# 96:

7:52 am PDT, Aug 15, Vickie Vitali, Ohio
Everyone of the individuals involved in this criminal acivity should have been given the death penalty. I am not against the death penalty, just the disparity to which it was delivered. Life in prison without the possibility of parole, like the rest of the lot, will do just fine. The Governor apparently did NOT read the facts surrounding the clemency bid. Please reconsider.

# 95:

8:49 am PDT, Aug 14, Suzanne Cornelius, Ohio
I knew Jason as a small boy. He and his mother and step father were my neighbors. I remember what a terrible childhood this boy had. His mother was indifferent and his step father was an awful man. Many times Jason would come to my house just to "get away". I truly believed he got involved with the wrong people because he was so desperate for someone to care about him that he would accept anyone.

# 94:

12:18 pm PDT, Aug 13, Dave Allen, Massachusetts
enjoy hell scumbag

# 93:

3:59 pm PDT, Aug 12, Manuel Saavedra, Spain
For more impact, add a personal comment here Para mayor impacto, añadir un comentario personal aquí

# 92:

3:57 pm PDT, Aug 12, Mª Candelaria Jiménez, Spain
For more impact, add a personal comment here Para mayor impacto, añadir un comentario personal aquí

# 91:

6:35 am PDT, Aug 12, Heidi Perry, Ohio
The death penalty is primitive and inhumane, and this young man, especially, does not deserve to die. He was manipulated by people who were older and much more powerful than he and they are able to live out the rest of their lives while his is snuffed out. It is unfair and unjust.

# 90:

2:49 am PDT, Aug 12, Name not displayed, United Kingdom

# 89:

5:37 pm PDT, Aug 8, Lori McIntyre, Ohio

# 88:

10:30 am PDT, Aug 6, Elaine Berkopec, Ohio

# 87:

7:39 am PDT, Aug 5, Talia Aroshas, New York

# 86:

7:36 am PDT, Aug 4, Name not displayed, Minnesota

# 85:

7:19 am PDT, Aug 4, Scott Kober, Iowa
Jason case is worthy of life in prison clemency.

# 84:

6:02 pm PDT, Aug 3, Robyn Fisher, Canada
Life imprisonment seems more appropriate in this case

# 83:

11:48 am PDT, Aug 3, Name not displayed, Ohio
Governor Strickland, you're a Methodist minister. You should know that the UMC, your church, opposes the death penalty.

# 82:

11:14 am PDT, Aug 3, Kim Fry, Ohio
Please renounce the use of violence and vengeance by not killing Jason Getsy. Please halt all executions in Ohio!

# 81:

1:35 am PDT, Aug 3, Sarah Scott, United Kingdom

# 80:

12:28 am PDT, Aug 3, Kristin Kolleda-Harmon, Alaska

# 79:

11:09 pm PDT, Aug 1, Name not displayed, Ohio
Governor Strickland I ask you to please look at all the facts in this case. In doing so I believe you grant clemency

# 78:

7:23 am PDT, Aug 1, Jennifer Bernier, Vermont

# 77:

2:13 pm PDT, Jul 31, José Luis Lobete, Spain
I sign this petition because I am against death penalty. I also see many reasons to say that it would be totally unjust in this particular case.

# 76:

1:32 pm PDT, Jul 31, Brodie Arnold, Ohio
When i was 19 i was no where near the intelligence i am at now (32), and i did some things that i now know where wrong and ill never do them ever again. I cant believe we are going to kill someone for decisions they made at 19 years old. He needs to be studied and examined so we can teach the future about how to avoid problems like this. If we kill him we just sweep the problem under the rug. I dont condone what he did, but, the definition of insanity is: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. We keep killing these murderers and they end up multiplying on the streets. Maybe if we actually looked into the root problems that are OBVIOUSLY there we can one day begin to nurture our youth to prevent such atrocities.

# 75:

3:02 pm PDT, Jul 29, Carol Wright, Ohio
I hope Governor Strickland has the courage and wisdom to do the right thing here - commute Jason Getsy's death sentence.

# 74:

1:04 pm PDT, Jul 28, Anika Paris, New York

# 73:

9:16 am PDT, Jul 28, Name not displayed, Ohio

# 72:

10:08 pm PDT, Jul 26, Carl Rosenstock, Wisconsin

# 71:

8:10 pm PDT, Jul 26, Darlene Patton, Ohio
I am a cousin of Jason. He was a caring, fun loving boy and young man who enjoyed the warmth of family gatherings. He greeted everyone with a smile and hug. Jason is not an evil man. He can continue to make a positive contribution to society if permitted to live the rest of his life in jail. He has a good heart and comes from a warm, caring, loving, God fearing family who dearly love him. Please do not permit the death penalty. More good will come from him living then from his death. Please correct this unfair distribution of justice. I pray for your compassion and belief in human goodness. Thank you, Darlene Patton

# 70:

2:12 am PDT, Jul 26, Luke Charles, United Kingdom

# 69:

9:23 pm PDT, Jul 24, Ben Goren, Israel
Executing people, under any circumstances, is beyond the dignity of a modern state. Justice is not served by murdering a murderer.

# 68:

1:07 pm PDT, Jul 24, Wayne Shannon, Iowa
It is time to get rid of the barbaric practice of capital punishment. We are a better people than that. I live in a state where the DP has been abolished for many years and we lead a peaceful and secure existance. When a person receives the DP here it means just that. They remain behind bars until they die. Man does not have the right to take a life!

# 67:

9:21 am PDT, Jul 24, Teri Evangelista, Ohio
How many "heartless" men would crochet little elephants for a 10 month old baby? The only one i ever met was Jason Getsy.And that was just this month. Please spare this man's life. He has a good heart and and is a man now. He has realized his mistakes. As others have said, he was just a boy under undue influence of the REAL murderer, John Santine!

# 66:

7:23 am PDT, Jul 24, Name not displayed, Hong Kong

# 65:

1:33 pm PDT, Jul 23, Rev. Richard Rosenbaum, Michigan
Jason Getsy lacked the wisdom of maturity when this crime was committed. Jason has proven to many that a person can change for the better.

# 64:

12:59 pm PDT, Jul 23, Julie Przybysz, Ohio

# 63:

10:50 am PDT, Jul 22, Trisha Durham, Ohio
The death penalty is a disproportionate and invalid penalty!

# 62:

7:15 am PDT, Jul 22, Name not displayed, Ohio
I agree that Jason Getsy should serve a sentence of life in prison, however, please commute the death sentence of this boy. He was only 19 years old at the time, which is no excuse, but please consider life imprisonment. He is guilty, yes, but John Santine is equally guilty, and life imprisonment was his sentence. Please consider this. Thank you.

# 61:

10:27 pm PDT, Jul 21, Tatiana Costa, Brazil

# 60:

3:04 am PDT, Jul 19, Fernando Silva, Portugal

# 59:

5:06 am PDT, Jul 18, Stefan Kuntner, Switzerland
Commute the death sentence, because he was not the only involved in this murder and he was not the initiator of this murder

# 58:

9:14 pm PDT, Jul 17, Bonnie Johnson, Indiana

# 57:

2:52 am PDT, Jul 17, Name not displayed, Cyprus

# 56:

6:01 pm PDT, Jul 15, João Brehm, Portugal

# 55:

5:28 pm PDT, Jul 15, Luisa Brehm, Portugal

# 54:

1:12 pm PDT, Jul 14, Paula Capps, Oregon
I never could understand why two or more people can be just as guilty as the rest and only one person is sentenced to death. I think all parties should be treated equally. Please commute Jason Getsy's sentence to life without parole.

# 53:

10:06 am PDT, Jul 14, Jena Walters, Pennsylvania
Abolish the death penatly! How is killing another humane?

# 52:

2:30 am PDT, Jul 14, Lisa Taylor, United Kingdom
Please commute Jason's sentence and allow him to live his life.

# 51:

11:41 pm PDT, Jul 13, Louise Colvin, United Kingdom

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