Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signs SB 295 into law

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WOIO) – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed Ohio Senate Bill 295 into law Friday.

Senate Bill 295 will increase the competency restoration time from one-year to five-years in cases of aggravated murder, murder, or where the possible sentence is life in prison.

SB 295 was sponsored by State Senator Nathan H. Manning (R-North Ridgeville) and State Senator Thomas F. Patton (R-Strongsville), with strong support from the parents of murdered Cleveland Police Officer Jamieson Ritter and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley

They spoke before the Ohio House of Representatives Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

Officer Ritter was fatally shot on July 4, 2024, in the 1500 block of E. 80th St.

His accused killer, Delawnte Hardy, 26, is currently at Central Ohio Behavioral Healthcare (COBH) to see if he can be restored to competency to stand trial.

However, as of now, Hardy has still been deemed incompetent, and the deadline to review his competency was Friday.

Hardy is also accused of killing his own grandmother, Beatrice Porter, on June 28, 2024, at her Garfield Heights home.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Cleveland police officer fatally shot in the city’s Hough neighborhood, suspect charged

Officer Ritter was honored at a memorial service in Cleveland on July 8, 2024 and laid to rest in his home state of New York on July 13, 2024.

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