Romell Broom

Romell Broom (June 4, 1956 – December 28, 2020) was an American criminal convicted of murder, kidnapping and rape. He was sentenced to death for the 1984 murder of 14-year-old Tryna Middleton. Broom was scheduled to be executed on September 15, 2009, but after executioners failed to locate a vein he was granted a reprieve. A second execution attempt was scheduled for June 2020, which was delayed until March 2022. Broom died in prison before the sentence could be carried out.

Romell Broom
Born(1956-06-04)June 4, 1956
DiedDecember 28, 2020(2020-12-28) (aged 64)
Ohio, U.S.
Criminal chargeMurder, kidnapping, rape, robbery
PenaltyDeath
Details
Victims1
DateSeptember 21, 1984
Location(s)East Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
KilledTryna Middleton

Crime

Broom was convicted of abducting and killing Tryna Middleton, age 14, who was walking home from a football game in East Cleveland, Ohio, in September 1984. In 2003, Broom accepted an offer from the state of Ohio for a DNA test to prove his innocence—however, the test results failed to exonerate him.[1] The clemency hearing concluded that "the DNA report does not indicate an exact match ... Otherwise stated, eight or nine other black males in the country would have the same profile."[2]

Broom also had convictions for robbery, aggravated robbery and four counts of kidnapping a male child. He was also convicted in a separate incidence of raping a female child.[3]

Aborted execution

Broom was scheduled to be executed on September 15, 2009. However, the executioners tried for two hours to maintain an IV line through which they could inject the lethal drugs, before Ohio Governor Ted Strickland issued a one-week reprieve.[4] Broom's lawyers argued that his first execution attempt was cruel and unusual punishment, and that executing him would mean that his evidence would be "irretrievably lost" for their broader lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Ohio’s lethal injection procedure.[5] U.S. District Court Judge Gregory L. Frost scheduled a November 30, 2009, hearing on the issues.[6]

Amnesty International started a campaign to inform the public about the failure of the execution attempt.[7] There is also a documentary on this case, The Second Execution of Romell Broom by Michael Verhoeven,[8] and Broom wrote his own story in the e-book Survivor on Death Row.[9][10]

In March 2016, the Ohio Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Broom and ruled that the state could again try to execute him.[11][12][13][14][15] In August 2016, Broom asked the Supreme Court of the United States to halt a second execution, with his lawyers arguing that another execution attempt would be cruel and unusual punishment and would violate double jeopardy protections under the 5th and 14th amendments to the U.S. constitution.[16][17] On December 12, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to give Broom a hearing on his appeal.[18] On May 19, 2017, the Ohio Supreme Court scheduled an execution date for Broom, on June 17, 2020.[19] On April 14, 2020, Broom's execution was delayed to March 16, 2022.[20]

Death

Broom died on December 28, 2020, at age 64 from suspected COVID-19 complications.[21]

See also

References
  1. "Seven on death row had DNA test". Enquirer.com. July 3, 2003. Archived from the original on May 26, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  2. "In Re: Romell Broom, OSP#A187-343" Archived July 31, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Adult Parole Authority, State of Ohio, August 28, 2009
  3. "Offender Details". Drc.state.oh.us. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  4. "New US vein execution bid halted". BBC News. September 18, 2009. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  5. Driehaus, Bob (September 17, 2009). "Inmate Will Testify About Failed Execution". Ohio: NYTimes.com. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  7. "Romell Broom: Die zweite Hinrichtung".
  8. "The Second Execution of Romell Broom". January 1, 2000 – via IMDb.
  9. BOOKS: "Survivor on Death Row" - Ohio's Failed Attempt to Execute Romell Broom, Death Penalty Information Center (October 12, 2012)
  10. Nonhebel, Clare (03-18-2013) Survivor on Death Row, The Baptist Times
  11. "Ohio court says inmate who survived botched execution can be put to death". CNN. March 16, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  12. "Ohio Supreme Court: Inmate who survived 2009 execution can be put to death". Chicago Tribune. March 16, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  13. "Court: Ohio can try again to put prisoner to death after botched execution". The Guardian. March 17, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  14. "Ohio can try again to kill condemned man who survived botched execution, court rules". Los Angeles Times. March 16, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  15. Connor, Tracy (March 16, 2016). "Court OKs Ohio Do-Over of Failed Lethal Injection of Romell Broom". NBC NEWS. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  16. "Botched execution survivor in Ohio asks Supreme Court to halt 2nd try". CNN. August 23, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  17. "Ohio Inmate Romell Brown Who Survived 2009 Execution Appeals to High Court". NBC NEWS. August 23, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  18. Williams, Pete (December 12, 2016). "Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to Lethal Injection". NBC News. NBC News. NBC News. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  19. "Court schedules 2nd execution attempt for Ohio killer". The Associated Press. The Morning Journal. May 19, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  20. "Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine delays three executions, again citing inability to get new lethal-injection drugs". cleveland.com. April 14, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  21. "Inmate who survived execution attempt dies; COVID suspected". AP. December 29, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
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