Make-or-break week for Ohio's death penalty

After new Governor Ted Strickland issued an initial set of reprieves back in January (details here and here), Ohio is scheduled to have its first execution under its new executive administration a week from today.  Significantly, Gov. Strickland is scheduled to give his first State-of-the-State address at noon tomorrow, and ODPI notes here that rumors are spreading about a possible statement regarding Ohio's death penalty during this address.

As I have suggested before, I think Ohio serves as an important bell-weather state is the ever-evolving debate over the death penalty.  I am very eager to see (1) if Gov. Strickland — who might well have national political aspirations — might do something bold in this arena, and (2) the local and national political reactions if he does.

UPDATE: ODPI has more coverage here of what might be expected in Gov. Strickland's first State-of-the-State address, including a link to a local article in which Strickland indicates that, in his developing budget plans, "he has found 'a few ways to save significant sums of money' and 'lots of ways to save small amounts of money.'"  It strikes me that a move away from a litigation-heavy punishment like the death penalty might be a way to save at least a small amount of Ohio's money.