Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

                                               NEWS RELEASE                                                    

MEDIA ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                     June 17, 2003

Execution Scheduled for Lewis Williams

(Columbus)--- The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction has confirmed that inmate Lewis Williams (176-623) is scheduled for execution on Tuesday, June 24, 2003, at 10:00 a.m. at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville, Ohio.  The Ohio Revised Code mandates the manner of execution to be lethal injection.

Inmate Williams was convicted and sentenced to death out of Cuyahoga County for the 1983 murder of Leona Chmielewski.

Background Information:

Name:                                     Lewis Williams

Race:                                      African American

Date of Birth:                         December 26, 1958

Offense(s):                             Aggravated Murder

                                                Aggravated Robbery (2 counts)                                             

Sentence:                               Death

                                                5-25 years

County of Commitment:            Cuyahoga

The advisory is being distributed in compliance with the DRC execution policy.

For further information, please contact the DRC Public Information Office (614) 752-1150.