Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
NEWS RELEASE
MEDIA ADVISORY FOR SCHEDULED EXECUTION
The
Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC) Public Information Office
will be accepting credentials/identification information from media outlets that
are planning to cover the execution of inmate Jerome Campbell. This information
must be faxed to the DRC Public Information Office no later than noon on Monday, June 23, 2003.
The fax number is (614) 752-1171. The execution is scheduled for 10:00
a.m. on Friday, June 27, 2003, at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in
Lucasville, Ohio.
There
are two forms of identification that need to be submitted (one picture ID)
and a letter (on affiliate letterhead) from the news organization you
represent. This letter should include your home address, as well as your work
and home telephone numbers. A list
will be generated from the information received and you will be cleared only
after completing this process. You must have the same credentials with you at the site.
If you are not pre-credentialed you will not gain access to the prison
Media Center. The Media Center is a
secure area that is being provided inside the prison.
Non-credentialed media will be permitted to cover the event from the
prison parking lot.
The
Media Center for credentialed media will be activated at 4:30
p.m. the day prior to the execution. A media briefing will be held at 4:45 p.m. that day.
The Media Center will reopen at 6:00 a.m. the day of the
execution. There will be a briefing at 7:30 a.m. the day of the
execution. All media must arrive at the Media Center by 8:30 a.m. in
order to be allowed in the center. No
persons will be permitted to enter or leave the center after 8:30 a.m.
until the execution is carried out. Media
witnesses and pool reporters must report to the prison no later than 7:30
a.m. on the morning of the execution.
The Media Center will close at 1:00 p.m.
At that time any remaining media will be escorted out of the prison by
the media teams.
There
will be no access to other areas of the prison.
Movement will be limited to and from the Media Center. For security
purposes, photographs and taped video may not be taken outside of the Media
Center. Television and radio crews
will be able to bring their equipment into the center.
Live remote shots must be done outside due to security at the
institution.
Immediately
following the execution, the official spokeswoman from DRC will make a formal
announcement regarding the time of death. Following
that statement the pool reporters and media witnesses will hold a briefing. A
written transcript of the inmate’s final statement will be provided at the
conclusion of the briefing. No
further interviews with DRC staff will be conducted.
No one will be permitted to leave the center until the briefings have
been concluded.
Each
affiliate will be permitted two persons in the Media Center.
There will be reserved seating for major media outlets.
There will be 20 telephone lines available in the Media Center.
A
mult-box will be provided. Each
media outlet should bring proper equipment. No microphones will be permitted on
the briefing podium. DRC will
supply media witnesses to the execution with paper, pens and pencils.
Per
DRC’s media policy, a radio pool reporter will be selected by DRC for the
execution and the Ohio Legislative Correspondents Association will select a
print reporter. The Director of DRC
will select a television pool reporter through a lottery system comprised of the
four major news affiliates.