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Kenneth Richey's Death Sentence Overturned

By Jeralyn, Section Court Decisions
Posted on Tue Jan 25, 2005 at 09:32:32 PM EST
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Scottish citizen Kenneth Richey has been on Ohio's death row for 18 years. Today his death sentence was overturned by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in a decsion that blasted his incompetent defense counsel. The court said but for their incompetence, Richey might have been acquitted.

Richey, 40, who had been diagnosed with behavioral problems before coming to the United States to live with his American father, became a global cause celebre that elicited pleas for mercy from a British parliamentarian to Ohio Gov. Robert Taft.

Richey was convicted of the 1986 murder of Cynthia Collins by a three-judge panel after the defense's own forensic expert ended up testifying for the prosecution.

Collins was the daughter of Richey's ex-girlfriend whom he was baby-sitting following a night of parties. He admitted to being drunk that night, but his repeated efforts to save the girl from the fire were not seen as credible at the time of his trial.

Amnesty International visited Richey on death row and said he was treated like a rabid animal. Amnesty described Richey's case as “one of the most compelling cases of apparent innocence that human rights campaigners have ever seen.”

Here's an interview with Richey from the Lima News in which he discusses the conditions on death row.

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    Kenneth Richey's Death Sentence Overturned | 3 comments (3 topical)
    Re: Kenneth Richey's Death Sentence Overturned (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Jan 25, 2005 at 06:07:06 PM EST
    Something good happened which is all too rare in today's world. One more number up on DPIC and so many more to go. And it was reported on TalkLeft. Please keep up the great work.

    Re: Kenneth Richey's Death Sentence Overturned (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Jan 25, 2005 at 06:40:34 PM EST
    But WHY does it take 18 years for incomptence to be revealed?

    Re: Kenneth Richey's Death Sentence Overturned (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Jan 25, 2005 at 07:42:16 PM EST
    On retrial the state appears to be barred from seeking death. Major win. Congrats to the Brits whose gov't has been fighting like hell to get this death sentence tossed.

    Kenneth Richey's Death Sentence Overturned | 3 comments (3 topical)