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

Ohio death row inmate Tyrone Noling, 54, from Alliance, was granted a rare opportunity on Tuesday to plead his case for a full pardon to the Ohio Parole Board. Noling has been incarcerated for 30 years for the double murder of an elderly couple, Bearnhardt and Cora Hartig, which he maintains he did not commit. Supported by the Ohio Innocence Project, Noling presented a compelling case at his clemency hearing, bolstered by recanted witness testimonies, altered statements from the sheriff and a juror, and evidence implicating another executed killer in the crime.

His cause has garnered significant attention, including documentaries, true-crime podcasts, and support from celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Hilarie Burton, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Noling, who was 18 at the time of the April 5, 1990, killings, was part of a group involved in home robberies targeting elderly couples. Three other members of the group, aged 14, 15, and 16, initially implicated Noling but later recanted their statements, citing police coercion.

Following Tuesday's hearing, the parole board will submit its recommendation to Governor Mike DeWine, who has the ultimate authority, and has previously called for the abolition of the death penalty. DeWine stated his change of stance due to his belief that capital punishment is no longer an effective deterrent to violent crime.

Noling remains committed to his quest for release, expressing no willingness to accept a commutation to life without parole for a crime he did not commit.