Innocent on Death Row-Conviction overturned

[carolleo]

Jan. 25, 2005
OHIO: Appeals court tosses death sentence for U.S.-British citizen

In Cincinnati, a federal appeals court on Tuesday threw out the conviction and death sentence of a man with dual U.S.-British citizenship who was convicted of killing a 2-year-old girl by starting a fire in his ex-girlfriend's apartment.

A 3-judge panel of 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Kenneth T. Richey received incompetent legal counsel and ordered the state of Ohio to retry him within 90 days or release him.

Richey, who always maintained his innocence, was convicted of killing
Cynthia Collins, who died in 1986 in a fire at her mother's apartment in
the northwest Ohio town of Columbus Grove. Prosecutors said Richey
intended to kill his ex-girlfriend but ended up killing the child.

The case received wide attention in Great Britain, where filmmakers
produced two documentaries questioning Richey's guilt. British citizens
and politicians have written thousands of letters to news organizations
and government offices to protest his conviction.

Amnesty International sought a new trial for Richey, and one member of
Britain's Parliament visited Richey on death row in Mansfield last year
and asked Gov. Bob Taft to review the case.

Kim Norris, spokeswoman for Attorney General Jim Petro, said lawyers were reviewing the ruling to determine whether to appeal. State attorneys could ask the full circuit court or the U.S. Supreme Court to consider the case.

(source: Associated Press)
Did you know?
"Had Kenny accepted any of the plea-bargains he was offered, he would have been released well in time to have celebrated the new millenium in freedom. The only reason not to, is that he won't admit to something he didn't do - he is stubborn in that respect."

KRC - The Official Kenny Richey Campaign
www.kennyrichey.org/


THE INNOCENT SCOT ON DEATH ROW IS ALMOST FREE


If you haven't heard about it yet, you will. There's a celebration in the air: Kenny is an innocent man living on death row in an Ohio prison and the authorities may finally acknowledge what we've known all along. After all these years, he may finally be exhonerated. You can better appreciate the excitement we are all feeling if you realize that Karen and Kenny Richey have fought his sentence valiently for something like 19 years: Word comes after all this time: His conviction has been overturned!!! This is hopeful for every one of us, for all the injustice we struggle against, for the innocents and those being done wrong in this system - Take heed - There is hope! Kenny and Karen Richey persevered and now the break has come! I'll be holding my breath for the next 90 days and then we can all celebrate freedom with them.