Dale Johnston, former Ohio death row inmate, to speak at Denison

Date of Event: February 27, 2013

Posted: February 14, 2013

GRANVILLE, Ohio—Former Ohio death row inmate Dale Johnston will speak about his exoneration at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 27, in the board room of Denison University’s Barney-Davis building (200 West Loop). This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Jack Shuler at 740-587-6244 or visit www.denison.edu.

When Johnston’s daughter and her boyfriend were murdered just outside of Logan, Ohio, on or about Oct. 4, 1982, Johnston was the only person the police considered as a suspect. He wrote to the Ohio Attorney General asking him to take over the investigation of his daughter’s death, but was refused because Hocking County, where Logan is located, had jurisdiction over the case.

Despite numerous violations of Johnston’s rights during the investigation and trial, he was sentenced to death in 1984. Johnston’s attorneys continued to support him during his time on death row, where he remained for more than five years.

The Ohio Supreme Court overturned Johnston’s conviction in 1988 because the prosecution withheld exculpatory evidence from the defense and because one witness had been hypnotized. The state later dropped all charges against him. He was released in 1990.

Calendar Listing:

CALENDAR LISTING: Denison, Granville—Lecture: “Exonerated from Death Row: Dale Johnston” at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 27, in the Barney-Davis board room (200 West Loop). Free and open to the public. For more information, contact Jack Shuler at 740-587-6244 or visit www.denison.edu.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name: Ginny Sharkey
Position Title: Media Relations
Primary Email: sharkeyv@denison.edu
Business Phone: (740) 587-6266

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