COLUMBUS, Ohio — The inmate accused of killing Correctional Officer Andrew Lansing on Christmas Day has been indicted on multiple charges of aggravated murder, according to WBNS.
A spokesperson for the Ohio State Highway Patrol told WBNS that a grand jury indicted Rashawn Cannon on two counts of aggravated murder in mid-March. Court records released March 27 show Cannon is facing a third count of aggravated murder as well.
Lansing, a correctional officer at Ross Correctional Institution, died Dec. 25 after authorities say Cannon beat him to death. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction confirmed the incident, which has since drawn sharp criticism from Lansing’s family, his attorney and the corrections officers’ union — all of whom have called the officer’s death preventable.
That concern has also reached lawmakers. State Rep. Mark Johnson, who represents Ross County, introduced draft legislation in February titled “Andy’s Law,” aimed at addressing systemic staffing and safety issues inside Ohio prisons.
According to Johnson, the bill initially included the following proposals:
- Hiring a consulting firm to evaluate and improve ODRC hiring and retention
- Increasing penalties for inmates who injure or kill correctional staff
- Changing the qualifications for the ODRC director position
- Covering healthcare for spouses of correctional staff killed in the line of duty until they remarry
- Allocating $1 million to the attorney general’s office to prosecute such cases
Johnson told WBNS that some aspects of the proposal are being refined. For example, he now believes the funding for healthcare and prosecution may be better addressed through separate legislation or amendments to the state budget.
He also introduced the idea of bringing in a traveling judge to ease the case backlog for incidents involving inmates assaulting staff — an issue he said is growing in urgency.
“We only have two judges in Ross County and we have a population of nearly 80,000,” Johnson told WBNS. “We’re backlogged as it is.”
Johnson also said an amendment to the state budget would aim to ensure healthcare coverage continues for the spouse of a correctional officer killed in the line of duty until they turn 65 — effectively bridging the gap to Medicare eligibility.
Another proposed amendment would eliminate copayments for correctional staff seeking mental health support.
“We all know when you watch your friend and co-worker go and face the things they have done there’s little wonder they need some counseling,” Johnson said.
On the topic of officer safety, Johnson said he’s spoken with staff at Ross Correctional about the state’s proposed TASER pilot program. While there are concerns about TASERs falling into the wrong hands, he acknowledged that the program might be worth trying.
