Death penalty upheld for Ohio prisoner accused killing fellow inmate

WARREN COUNTY, Ohio (WXIX) - An Ohio inmate accused of killing someone in a prison in Lebanon in 2019 will still be put to death, according to the Ohio Supreme Court.

Victoria Drain, once legally named Joel Drain, admitted to the planning and killing of inmate Christopher Richardson, Justice Sharon Kennedy wrote in an opinion to the court.

According to Court News Ohio, the Supreme Court is ruling six to one that Drain’s conviction and death sentence will be upheld. Drain was sentenced to death after being convicted of aggravated murder.

Drain fought the sentence, claiming defense attorneys were ineffective.

Specifically arguing they didn’t address past trauma, including gender dysphoria.

They say Drain lured Richardson out of his cell then went into his cell and waited for him to return.

When Richardson came back, prosecutors say Drain hit him on the head with a fan motor, stabbed him with a pencil and strangled him to death.

In the Ohio ruling, the justices noted that throughout the trial Drain repeatedly refused to allow defense attorneys to release information that could’ve helped.

Drain has been at a prison in Youngstown since 2016.

It’s not clear when Drain will be put to death.

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