Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Parole Board Hears Clemency Case Of Cincinnati Man Convicted Of Killing Wife And Landlord

Karen Kasler
The Parole Board heard the case for and against clemency for Raymond Tibbetts, who's scheduled to be executed in April.

A 59 year old Cincinnati man is facing execution in April for stabbing the man who allowed him and his wife to share his home. The state parole board heard hours of testimony on whether Raymond Tibbetts deserves mercy, or should die.

In 1997, Raymond Tibbetts fatally stabbed 67-year-old Fred Hicks, described as sick, defenseless and hearing impaired. Tibbets was also sentenced to life in prison for stabbing his wife Judith Sue Crawford. But Tibbetts’ attorney Erin Barnhart said his abusive upbringing and drug addiction set him up to fail. “The fact that he did fail doesn’t make him evil. He wasn’t born evil. And he’s not deserving of the worst punishment for that reason.”

But Hamilton County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Ronald Springman said Tibbetts’ brutal crimes speak for themselves. “We don’t know what it was that caused him to do this. It could be pure evil. We don’t know. It very well could be pure evil.”

The parole board will issue a recommendation on clemency to the governor March 10.

Contact Karen at 614-578-6375 or at kkasler@statehousenews.org.
Related Content