London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Sep 24, 2026

Ohio inmate who survived execution attempt dies in prison of probable Covid-19

Ohio inmate who survived execution attempt dies in prison of probable Covid-19

In 2009, executioners tried and failed 18 times to find a vein on Romell Broom while attempting to administer a lethal injection.
A condemned Ohio inmate, who survived an executioner's needle more than a decade ago, has died — probably from complications of Covid-19, officials said Wednesday.

Romell Broom, a 64-year-old convicted murderer, passed away on Monday at Franklin Medical Center, according to Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction spokeswoman Sara French.

The state of Ohio says at least 124 inmates have died from confirmed or probable cases of coronavirus, as it continues to ravage the nation.

"As of today, his death is considered a probable Covid-19 related death, pending his death certificate," French said in a statement.

Back in Sept. 15, 2009, Broom, then 53, was set to be put to death, but executioners couldn't find a suitable vein that could be used for his lethal injection.

The execution was finally put off after Broom was stuck by needles 18 times over two hours.

He was set again for execution on March 16, 2022.

"We are sorry that he is gone and sorry that he lived his last days on death row," Broom's lawyer Adele Shank said in a statement on behalf of her and the inmate's other attorney, Tim Sweeney.

"Due to a painful and traumatic botched execution procedure, Broom survived that day only to live with the ever-increasing fear and distress that the same process would be used on him at his next execution date."

They added: "Let his passing in this way, and not in the execution chamber, be the final word on whether a second attempt should ever have been considered."

Broom was convicted for the 1984 murder and rape of Tryna Middleton, 14, who was kidnapped as she walked home from a football game with two friends.

Ohio is currently working under a de facto moratorium against capital punishment as the state is unable to obtain the drugs needed for lethal injection. Gov. Mike DeWine has said lawmakers must find a new execution method.

A handful of prisoners have survived executions.

Willie Francis, 17, was supposed to be put to death in Louisiana on May 3, 1946 but the electric chair was improperly set up, sending painful — but not fatal — currents through this body. Executors tried again on May 9, 1947, and the 18-year-old was killed.

Ohio executioners failed to kill Alva Campbell on Nov. 15, 2017 when they couldn't find a suitable vein. The 69-year-old, who had smoked for decades and suffered from a host of health issues, died in custody less than four months later.

Doyle Lee Hamm had more than a dozen puncture marks jabbed into his legs and groin during a failed execution on Feb. 22, 2018. He remains in custody at William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Alabama.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Royal Navy Commandos Complete Maritime Operations Training With US Navy SEALs
Vistry Profit Warning Adds to Concerns Over UK Housebuilding Conditions
UK Commits £343 Million to Major Expansion of Community Mental Health Services
Five Eyes Partners Back UK-Led Campaign Against Global Fraud Networks
UK Businesses Gain Full Access to £13 Trillion CPTPP Trading Bloc
UK Allocates Nearly £10 Billion for Council, Social and Affordable Housing
Chancellor John Healey Unveils Deregulation Drive to Accelerate UK Investment and Growth
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Sets Out Post-Brexit Foreign Policy Vision at United Nations
UK Reassesses Chagos Arrangements as Burnham Seeks New Path on Diego Garcia
Key Trends to Watch
Government’s “Buy British” Procurement Push Targets More Domestic Jobs and Industrial Capacity
Scotland Launches Four-Year Flood Resilience Programme With New Community Funding
Low-Income Renters Face Record Gap Between Housing Support and Private Rents
UK and US Test Torpedo Launch From British Undersea Drone in Defence Technology Milestone
Britain Pushes Artificial Intelligence Security Onto United Nations Security Council Agenda
Treasury Committee Defends Office for Budget Responsibility Independence Amid Fiscal Pressure
Scotland Records Eleven Per Cent Rise in Drug-Use Deaths as Cocaine and Nitazenes Drive Concern
Welsh Government Sets Four-Year Programme Around Health, Living Costs, Jobs and Housing
Study Finds Most People With High Blood Pressure in England Remain Undiagnosed
Britain Plans First National Workplace Health System to Tackle Economic Inactivity
England to Introduce Vocational GCSEs in Major Secondary Education Reform
UK Elevates Climate and Nature Risks to National Security Priority
Andy Burnham and Donald Trump Put Trade at Centre of First Major Bilateral Meeting
Andy Burnham and Ursula von der Leyen Push Ahead With Closer UK-European Union Economic Ties
UK Government Borrowing Jumps to Eighteen Point Three Billion Pounds Ahead of October Budget
Piddington Residents Back Symbolic Independence Vote Over Asylum Accommodation Plan
Reform UK Names Helen Jenner as New Leader in Wales
England Expands Devolution of Transport, Skills and Economic Development Powers
Liberal Democrats Call for Temporary Fuel Duty Cut to Ease Cost-of-Living Pressure
UK Farmers Warn Drought Has Caused Crop Failures and Reduced Harvests
UK Fixed Mortgage Rates Approach 6% as Lenders Raise Borrowing Costs
YouGov Poll Puts Labour at 23% With Conservatives and Reform UK on 21%
Badenoch Presses Burnham to Increase Defence Spending and Cut Welfare Costs
UK Military Figures Warn of Growing Threats to Undersea Infrastructure and National Readiness
BP Moves Ahead With Sale of UK North Sea Oil and Gas Business
UK and ASEAN Endorse New Framework for Trade and Economic Cooperation
UK Consumer Confidence Falls to Three-Year Low as Borrowing Costs and Job Concerns Rise
UK Inflation Rises to 3.1% as Motor Fuel Costs Push Prices Higher
Bank of England Sets Multi-Year Plan to Wind Down Quantitative Easing Holdings
UK Borrowing Rises to £18.3 Billion in August Ahead of October Budget
Michelin Guide Faces Industry Questions Over Restaurant Inspection Coverage
English Woodlands Face Renewed Weather Stress From Dry Conditions and Strong Winds
Research Finds Extensive Alcohol, Gambling and Unhealthy Food Branding During 2026 World Cup
Five Charged After Newborn Baby Dies From Stab Wounds in Sheffield
BT Could Reap £2 Billion From Recycling Copper as Full-Fibre Network Expands
FCA Urges Young Adults to Trace £1.5 Billion in Unclaimed Child Trust Funds
Reform UK Names Helen Jenner as New Leader in Wales After Dan Thomas Steps Down
Resolution Foundation Calls for Broad-Based Tax Rises to Fund Higher UK Defence Spending
Ed Davey Calls for Global Treaty to Halt Development of Super-Intelligent AI
Scotland Consults on Legal Price Caps for Essential Foods
×