Ricardo V. Dodson wants to die for his crimes.
Dodson, 50, a Franklin County man imprisoned since 1991, will ask the Ohio Supreme Court to issue an immediate order for his execution.
The thing is Dodson is a rapist, not a murderer, and is not under a death sentence.
Nevertheless, Dodson said in a letter to The Dispatch, “I don’t want to stay alive just to die in prison…I would like to be put to death.” He said it would save taxpayers money by not having to pay for additional years of incarceration. Taxpayers pay the $65.77 daily cost, or about $24,000 a year, to feed, clothe, and provide medical care and security for each inmate.
So far, two courts have turned down Dodson’s death wish.
“Although appellant was convicted of very serious crimes, he was not convicted of aggravated murder and, therefore, the death penalty cannot, nor could it have been imposed at the time of sentencing,” a three-judge Franklin County Court of Appeals panel said.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien’s office opposed Dodson’s motion.
Dodson was convicted of four counts of rape, two counts of kidnapping and one count of attempted rape. His appeals and requests for parole have been rejected. He is serving an indefinite sentence of up to 130 years.
In a self-filed motion with Franklin Common Pleas Court, Dodson argued it is an unconstitutionally “cruel and unusual punishment” to keep him in imprisoned for the rest of his life. He said he suffers from excessive anxiety and depression, has been “pressured to enter homosexual situations in order to obtain small amounts of money,” is “angry all the time,” has been exposed to alcohol and drug addictions,” and has a loss of “morals and values.” SOURCE
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