Main Menu
Home Kenny Richey Death row Scot faces bail hearing Death row Scot faces bail hearing
Monday, 01 October 2007
An Edinburgh man who was moved off Death Row after more than 20 years could be freed from jail this week, his supporters have revealed.
Kenny Richey, 43, was transferred from Ohio's Death Row to another county jail after judges overturned his arson and murder conviction two months ago.
Amnesty International said he now faced a bail hearing on Tuesday.
He was convicted in 1987 of an arson attack on an apartment block in an Ohio town that killed Cynthia Collins, two.
He was sentenced to execution, but after a long legal fight a federal appeals court threw out his conviction and death sentence in August.
"The bail hearing is an important milestone for Kenny, but whether or not he gets to finally savour a bit of temporary freedom, the really important thing is the retrial "
Karen Torley
Kenny Richey campaigner
Amnesty International Scotland director John Watson said Tuesday's hearing could see Richey released or an announcement made about a date for his retrial.
Mr Watson said: "The bail hearing could mark another step on the long road to freedom for Kenny.
"After more than two decades enduring the living hell of Death Row, Kenny is now getting closer to the retrial he's always called for.
"We've been saying for many years that Kenny Richey received only shoddy justice at the hands of the Ohio justice system and it's imperative that Kenny finally gets a proper retrial and the opportunity for justice so long denied him."
'Ineffective counsel'
Karen Torley, his ex-fiancée and head of the Kenny Richey campaign, said: "The bail hearing is an important milestone for Kenny, but whether or not he gets to finally savour a bit of temporary freedom, the really important thing is the retrial.
"Kenny is looking forward to his day in court and he's totally confident that this time his total innocence will be beyond doubt."
Richey has spent years fighting his conviction, saying he received ineffective counsel in his trial.
His lawyers have said that evidence casts doubts about Richey's role and whether the fatal fire was started intentionally.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7021871.stm
Published: 2007/10/01 11:42:33 GMT