USA - Ohio. The Parole Board recommended that Shawn Hawkins, 42, black, be spared execution.

The Ohio Parole Board today unanimously recommended that Shawn Hawkins, 42, black,  be spared execution. In the latter days a number of prominent conservatives supported the clemency (see May 3).  The clemency report by the parole board recommends that Ohio Gov. John Kasich commute the death sentence and order Hawkins to be in prison for life without parole. Hawkins was convicted and sentenced to death out of Hamilton County for the June 1989 deaths of Terrance Richard and Diamond Marteen. Hawkins is scheduled for execution on June 14, 2011. According to the report: "The Board is not confident in the death sentence in this case, but is also not convinced that Shawn Hawkins is innocent.'' Because of that uncertainty, the 7-member board recommended unanimously that Kasich commute the death sentence.