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Currently, 116 Ohioans sit on death row. Since 1973, more than 200 individuals nationwide have been exonerated after being wrongfully convicted and sentenced to die.

Beyond the moral and ethical implications, the financial burden is alarming. Each death penalty case costs Ohio taxpayers anywhere from $1-$3 million. The question is simple: is it worth it?

Earlier this week, a compelling and eye-opening presentation shed light on the realities of the death penalty and the lives it impacts. Organized by Dr. Sarah Lazzari, Assistant Professor of Criminology and Sociology, the presentation featured Kendall White and Derrick Jamison.

The speakers

Kendall White, a recent graduate of Ohio Dominican University with a degree in Criminal Justice, pursued further studies at Ohio University, earning a master’s in Law, Justice, and Culture. Now the Deputy Director of Ohioans to Stop Executions, Kendall works to educate the public on the legal, financial, and ethical issues surrounding capital punishment.

Joining him was Derrick Jamison, a man who lived through a nightmare few can imagine. Exonerated from Ohio’s death row in 2005, Derrick spent 20 years behind bars for a murder he did not commit. He had an alibi, five friends who could confirm his whereabouts, and two officers who saw them that night, yet he was convicted. Prosecutors withheld over 35 pieces of evidence that could have proven his innocence from the start.

Derrick came within hours of execution. Scheduled to die six times, he received last-minute stays from Ohio’s governor, with his final one coming just 90 minutes before his scheduled execution. By the time he was exonerated, he had lost decades of his life.

Now, Derrick serves as a Peer Specialist for Witness to Innocence, supporting fellow exonerees as they rebuild their lives and advocating for the end of the death penalty.

The reality of death row

This discussion was about more than the morality of the death penalty. It was about justice, fairness and the cost to society.

“You don’t see people with money on death row.” – Kendall White

Defendants with public defenders often receive inadequate legal representation, leading to convictions based on circumstantial evidence, unreliable witnesses, or prosecutorial misconduct, the speakers said.

Who pays if they can't? “We don’t get to decide where our tax dollars go – the government does.” – Kendall White

A death penalty trial in Ohio takes an average of 17 years from sentencing to execution, with each case costing millions. Meanwhile, housing an inmate costs $33 per day – a fraction of the price of prolonged trials and appeals.

“This isn’t just a moral issue. It’s a financial problem, a criminal justice problem – one we all have the power to change.” – Kendall White

Justice or just a game?

Many argue that the death penalty serves justice, but Kendall challenged this assumption.

“It hurts more to relive the process over and over for up to 17 years until that ‘justice’ is served,” he said, adding that every person deserves the chance to grow, to change, and to live. “No human should have the right to decide that another human should die.”

The fight against the death penalty isn’t just about wrongful convictions – it’s about defining the justice system we want to uphold, Kendall emphasized, adding that “an eye for an eye” does not bring peace; it fuels more pain, more suffering, and more injustice.

It’s unsettling, he said, that the criminal justice system appears to reward conviction rates over truth.

“The more cases you win as a prosecutor, the more likely you are to get hired. It’s not about serving justice. It’s about the win ratio.”

Conversations with Derrick Jamison

How did you make it through 20 years behind bars? “At first, it was unbearable. It was the worst feeling in the world. I did a lot of praying. I wasn’t supposed to be there.”

How are you not angry at those responsible for your wrongful conviction? “I saw what anger does to people, and I didn’t want to live like that. It would have cost me my life in a different way.”

How did you transition into the life you have now? “I’ve been traveling all over the world to tell my story. I want every young person in America to hear it.”

Derrick continues to share his story, reminding everyone: “We need to end the death penalty in Ohio. We are making too many mistakes.”

“We need to make better choices, stop the killing, and find a better way. We already have 200 reasons.”