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Home Kenny Richey The Case The Investigation The Investigation
Wednesday, 21 April 2004
After the fire
The local fire chief (who had been called to Hope's flat on three occasions less than a fortnight before the fire to investigate the sudden mysterious appearance of smoke in the flat) arrived to inspect the flat first.
However the investigation was soon taken over by the State Fire Marshal, Robert Cryer (State law demanded that the State Fire Marshal's Office investigate the scene of a fire when a life had been taken). After a brief inspection, Fire Marshal Cryer declared that the fire started "accidentally". It should be noted that Fire Marshal Cryer insists that he never considered the fire an "accidental" occurrence. Yet, it is a claim that is both disputed by the building owner, and by the facts.
 Fire Report. Note the cause: "Electric Fan" |
Gutting of the flat
It is a fact that, after a brief inspection, Fire Marshal Cryer authorized the building owner to gut the flat. Within hours, its charred furnishings were thrown into a lorry then carried to the local dump. Obviously, had the Fire Marshal truly suspected an arsonist's match had torched the flat, any layman knows that the flat would have been taped off and preserved for further investigation, for the gathering of evidence.
And then suddenly - Crime...
That being 1986, an election year, Prosecutor Basinger was one of several candidates hoping to be elected to fill the vacant position as a county judge. It was to Basinger's benefit to build a big case, a headliner to promote his name on the front page of the county newspaper, and he took charge of the case personally.
Kenny Richey became the suspect. He was arrested and charged with arson, aggravated murder, child endangerment and breaking and entering.
At the onset, Kenny stated he was innocent of the charges.
He also demanded he be permitted to take a lie detector test.
However, Prosecutor Basinger refused.
THE STATE OF OHIO -v- KENNETH RICHEY
Prosecutor Basinger announced that he was seeking the death penalty - which instantly gained front-page attention; it was the first capital case in Putnam County since the eighteen hundreds, when a pig thief dangled from the end of a rope.
The capital case against Kenny dominated the local news for months, in turn, generating Basinger publicity as Election Day neared. It can be argued that the case he built against Kenny served its purpose, for it came as no surprise that, after votes were tallied, Prosecutor Basinger was elected to a new position of power; Judge Basinger.
Plea bargain
Following Basinger's successful election, he offered Kenny a "plea bargain".
If Kenny would plead guilty to second-degree murder, Basinger informed him that he would receive a sentence of ten years with the possibility of parole after six years had been served.
Still maintaining his innocence, Kenny refused to accept the plea bargain.
Basinger then decided to continue to prosecute the case against Kenny, and don his judge's robe after the trial.
It was a trial that lasted only three days.
It was a trial that was void of a jury, substituted by a panel of three judges, led by Judge Michael Corrigan.