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 Richard Cooey. This information must be
faxed to the DRC Public Information Office no later than noon on Friday, July 11, 2003.
The fax number is (614) 752-1171. The execution is scheduled for 10:00
a.m. on Thursday, July 24, 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.
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.
This information is subject to change. For further information please contact the DRC Public Information Office at (614) 752-1150.