The Capital Habeas Unit (CHU) began at the Federal Public Defender Office in June 2008.  We opened our doors with two Assistant Federal Public Defenders and one Paralegal.  Since our inception, the CHU has expanded to three Assistant Federal Public Defenders, two Research and Writing Specialists, two Mitigation Specialists/Investigators, and two Paralegals. At the same time, the Southern District CHU started as well.  Now Ohio is covered by two fully operational Capital Habeas Units.  Ohio's death row has consisted of 160 to 200+ inmates any given year.  Since 2010, the State has been executing at least one inmate a month.  It appears this trend will continue well into 2013.

Quotes

“There is more to everyone than the worse thing they have ever done.”  Sister Helen Perjean.

“The writ of habeas corpus stands as a safeguard against imprisonment of those held in violation of  the law.”  Harrington v. Richter, 131 S.Ct. 770, 780 (2011) (Kennedy, J.)