Ohio guard investigated in inmate suicide resigns
Oct 31, 2013, 9:53 PM
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – An Ohio prison guard has resigned after the state says it found falsified logs documenting checks on a death row inmate who later committed suicide.
Corrections officer Clay Putnam and another guard were put on paid leave after the Aug. 4 suicide of Billy Slagle days before his scheduled execution.
The 19-year-old Putnam declined to comment Thursday on his resignation, announced by the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. The state patrol, which also investigated, says no charges are planned.
Another guard remains on leave while the state investigates changes to an electronic log documenting how often checks were done on Slagle on death row in Chillicothe (chihl-ih-KAWTH’-ee).
Two consultants hired by the state are reviewing Slagle’s suicide as well as the Sept. 4 hanging death of Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro.
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