Former death row inmate’s case still unresolved

CINCINNATI – The future remains unclear for a 49-year-old Jordanian man who spent two decades on Ohio’s death row.

Judge J. Patrick Foley III in Hamilton County on Thursday set an Aug. 20 hearing date in the case of Ahmad Fawzi Issa (AH’-mahd FOW’-zee EE’-sah).

Issa was sentenced to death in the 1997 contract slaying of a Cincinnati convenience store owner, but the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out his conviction last year.

It agreed with his attorneys that his constitutional right to confront witnesses was violated and that hearsay testimony was used to convict him.

Prosecutors have said it would be difficult to retry the case so many years later. However, an agreement on settling the case hasn’t been made yet.

Issa would face deportation to his homeland.