Ohio execution stayed while state weighs allowing organ donation

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Ohio execution stayed while state weighs allowing organ donation

By Kim Palmer CLEVELAND (Reuters) - Ohio Governor John Kasich on Wednesday stayed the execution of convicted killer Ronald Phillips to assess whether Phillips's non-vital organs or tissues can be donated to his mother or possibly others. Phillips, 40, was scheduled to be executed Thursday for the 1993 murder of 3-year-old Sheila Marie Evans. "I realize this is a bit of uncharted territory for Ohio, but if another life can be saved by his willingness to donate his organs and tissues, then we should allow for that to happen," Kasich said in a statement. Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said that inmates waiting on death row have donated non-vital organs such as kidneys before, but a stay of execution has never been granted to allow it.

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