Ohio death row inmate Tyrone Noling gets a rare chance to ask parole board for a pardon

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Tyrone Noling, a 54-year-old inmate on death row, received a unique opportunity to request a full pardon from the Ohio Parole Board on Tuesday. The hearing marked the first of its kind for an Ohio death row inmate since 2020. Noling, from Alliance, spent 30 years on death row for the double murder of an elderly couple he maintains he did not commit.

Supported by the Ohio Innocence Project, he presented a compelling case consisting of recanted witness statements, changed positions by the sheriff and a juror, and evidence pointing to an executed killer as the potential perpetrator. This case has been featured in documentaries and true-crime podcasts, garnering support from celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Hilarie Burton, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

Despite these efforts, the Ohio Parole Board will produce a recommendation to Governor Mike DeWine, who has the ultimate decision-making power. DeWine, a Republican, recently called for the abolition of the death penalty, stating his views have evolved due to his belief that capital punishment is no longer an effective deterrent against violent crime.

Unlike most death row inmates who are granted clemency hearings following an execution date, Noling did not have such a deadline, making his hearing a significant victory. Seeking his release, Noling explicitly stated he would not accept a commuted sentence to life without parole for a crime he did not commit. Convicted for the April 5, 1990, murders of Bearnhardt and Cora Hartig, both 81, in their Portage County home, Noling was 18 years old at the time.

The Hartigs were found dead on the kitchen floor by a neighbor who noticed their lawn mower had been in front of their house for several days. The house had been burglarized, with the Hartigs' bodies discovered shot multiple times. Initially charged with aggravated burglary, Noling's case was reindicted in 1995 for the murders, and he was sentenced to death in 1996.

Crucial evidence implicating other suspects, such as Dan Wilson, who was executed in Ohio in 2009, has been presented at the hearing, with his attorney suggesting that Wilson bragged about committing the crime. Former Portage County Sheriff Ken Howe, now 83, testified during the hearing that he believed the boys were innocent based on the mounting evidence.

Portage County Prosecutor Connie Lewandowski has not yet commented on the matter. Following the hearing, the Parole Board will deliberate in a closed session and deliver its recommendation to Governor DeWine within six business days.