Governor Spares Mother Killer the Death Sentence, Sentences to Life in Prison

By Sarah Harper

Published on February 17, 2009

On Thursday, Ohio governor Ted Strickland spared the life of Jeffrey Hill, a 44-year-old inmate convicted of murdering his mother, Emma Hill.

Hill's execution (by lethal injection) was set for March 3, but he received a commutation to 25-years-to-life instead. Strickland commuted Hill's sentence in response to the victim's family's request and to the parole board's unanimous vote.

The murder occurred in 1991 at the Cincinnati apartment of the victim, who was paralyzed at the time of the attack. According to CNN reports, Hill does not remember stabbing his 61-year-old mother to death with a kitchen knife. He does admit to arguing with his mother before, and to smoking cocaine before and after, the murder. After killing her, Hill ransacked the apartment and stole money to purchase more drugs. Police discovered her body two days later.

Hill was sentenced to death - a sentence his lawyers fought. In prison, Hill repeatedly expressed remorse for his actions as well as a willingness to die if that was what his family desired.

All the commutation means Hill could be released from prison, Hill remains at the Ohio State Penitentiary.

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