#589 Jason Flom with Tyrone Noling

**Tyrone Noling** (0:04)
This is difficult. It's difficult cleaning for your life, especially when you haven't been hurt for a long time. I'm an innocent person on Ohio's death row. I don't belong here, and I need help.
Now is the time.

**Jason Flom** (0:21)
Tyrone has been on death row in Ohio for over 30 years, where he remains to this day.

**Dan Nadratowski** (0:29)
On August 25th, the Ohio Parole Board issued a recommendation for executive clemency in the form of commutation from death row to life, eligibility for parole. Two members of the board oppose clemency. One member supported Tyrone's request for a full pardon and his immediate release.
We're encouraged that members of the parole board agreed that executive clemency is appropriate and recognize the serious problems in Tyrone's case. We think it's highly significant that the board member who actually voted for a full pardon was a former prosecutor. Typically, former prosecutors are among the most critical reviewers during the post-conviction review process. The parole board makes a recommendation, but the ultimate decision belongs to Governor DeWine. The governor is not limited to the particular form of clemency recommended by majority of the parole board. Governor DeWine has the unique authority here to look at all of the circumstances in the case and the record that's existed for over 35 years.
He is not subject to the same time constraints and restrictions that sometimes exist on the court, so he can send Tyrone home on me. We very much appreciate Governor DeWine's consideration of that request.

**Tyrone Noling** (1:41)
I would just like to thank everybody and to encourage them again, look into my case, to get involved, to be a voice for me, because I don't belong here.
I wish I could say more, but being in this situation for this many years, you don't know what to say anymore. You just want to go in a hole and never come out, but I'm going to keep fighting. I hope that people will fight with me and for me.

**Jason Flom** (2:22)
Welcome back to Wrongful Conviction. This is a hard one even for me, because this is one of the most twisted, entangled, nonsensical, and I'm gonna say evil wrongful convictions that I know of. And of course I I'm referring- to the case of Tyrone Noling. Tyrone has been on death row in Ohio for over 30 years, where he remains to this day. And with us today to talk about the case is a man who knows it like the back of his hand, Brian Howe.
Brian is an attorney with the Ohio Innocence Project. So Brian, I'm glad you're here, but Jesus, this is going to be a tough one.

**Brian Howe** (3:02)
Thanks, Jason.

**Jason Flom** (3:03)
And Tyrone, I'm so glad you're here with us today, even though I'm so very sorry because of the reason why you're here, and even more so because of where you are.

**Tyrone Noling** (3:13)
Thank you.

**Jason Flom** (3:14)
So Tyrone, let's start by going back to before everything that's happened. What was your life like growing up?

**Tyrone Noling** (3:22)
I grew up in a small town outside of Canton, Ohio in Stark County called Alliance. I grew up in a one-parent home with four other siblings, and my childhood was like any other childhood. Did sports, went to school, and as I got older, I got in a little trouble, but for the most part, life at home was pretty good.
Turned 18, and pretty much found myself on my own, just hanging out with a group of friends that I had grew up with.

**Jason Flom** (3:49)
In the group of friends that you mentioned here, you're talking about Johnny Trantifer, Gary St. Clair, Joseph D'Alessandro, and Butch Walcott, and the latter three all play a part in this Wrongful Conviction. Now, you all were staying together in the same house, right?

**Tyrone Noling** (4:06)
Yeah. I didn't really know Butch Walcott. I grew up with Gary St. Clair and Joey D'Alessandro. We lived pretty much in the same neighborhood, and knew each other since kindergarten. Gary's stepdad had an accident, and the house became vacant, so we all just started congregating there.
We were just hanging out. We were doing dumb stuff, bought pizza, chased girls, stayed up late.

**Jason Flom** (4:30)
Brian, I want to bring you back in here. Like Tyrone says, he was getting into some trouble, which is what leads to the connection with this crime, right?

**Brian Howe** (4:40)
Sure. The reason that Tyrone was on the radar of investigators was that there were two burglaries that happened the next county over. The Tyrone was ultimately arrested for and pleaded guilty to.