August 2 OHIO: Death Row Birthday Call for Retrial Death Row Briton Kenny Richey will today spend his 40th birthday behind bars in the United States while human rights groups appeal for a retrial in his case. Amnesty International and human rights charity Reprieve are marking the day with a protest outside the US Consulate in Edinburgh, where Richey was brought up. Richey, 40, was sentenced to death in 1987 after he was convicted of arson and the aggravated murder of a 2-year-old girl. He has always denied the crimes. Today, 3 pipers in full highland regalia will lead a delegation taking a Kenny birthday cake to the consulate building as well as a thousand birthday cards from well-wishers. The human rights campaigners will be joined by Karen Richey, the convicts wife. Karen, 40, from Glasgow, said: "Kenny's birthday wish is to have the UK government fully involved in fighting his case and helping him to clear his name. We're here to make that case for him." Since his conviction, evidence has emerged casting serious doubt over Richey's guilt, according to Amnesty International. The group, which has called Kenny's case "one of the most compelling cases of apparent innocence that human rights campaigners have ever come across," is urging the Ohio state authorities to allow him the opportunity to have fresh evidence heard. This, they say, may mean that his case is retried, that he is accorded a new evidentiary hearing or a resentencing hearing is allowed. Richey, who has a Scottish mother and grew up in Edinburgh, is seeking support from the UK government. The government is said to have a policy of opposing the death penalty and campaigners are pressing it to act in Richeys case. Reprieve director Andie Lambe said: "Kenny has spent 17 birthdays facing execution. Reprieve hopes the old adage comes true and that his life can really begin at 40." Amnesty International Scotland programme director John Watson said: "Well-wishers have sent us a thousand cards for Kenny's birthday - a sign of the strong feeling in Scotland about the need for Kenny to receive justice in Ohio." "We oppose the death penalty in all circumstances - but Kenny's 18-year ordeal comes after a flawed trial and a failure to consider fresh evidence." (source: The Scotsman) LOUISIANA: Jury selection begins in case of man accused in serial killings In Port Allen, more than 300 potential jurors gathered in makeshift courtrooms at a convention center Monday as jury selection began in the 1st murder trial of the man suspected in a series of killings of women in Louisiana. Derrick Todd Lee is charged in the beating and stabbing death of Geralyn DeSoto, 21, who was found in her home with her neck slashed in January 2002, on the day she registered for graduate school at Louisiana State University. If convicted, he would face a mandatory life prison sentence. DeSoto was 1 of 7 women Lee is suspected of having killed. He has been charged in 2 other murders -- death penalty cases in nearby Baton Rouge and Lafayette -- and an attempt to rape and murder another woman. Lee, 35, was arrested in May 2003 after a nearly yearlong search that unnerved women across Louisiana. During the hunt, police launched a DNA dragnet in which they took cheek scrapings and swabbings from more than 1,000 men. The West Baton Rouge Parish courthouse in Port Allen was too small to handle the number of potential jurors, plus news media and spectators, so two makeshift courtrooms were set up at the local tourist and convention center. One held the large group of potential jurors while lawyers questioned smaller groups in the second room. "I'm looking for just an average person. He goes to work every day, pays his taxes and believes in accountability," prosecutor Tony Clayton told reporters as jury selection began. The trial is expected to last about 3 weeks. Lee's attorney, Tommy Thompson, focused on publicity surrounding the high-profile case. "Once he was arrested, I stopped paying attention to it," one woman said of the case, adding that she believes Lee is guilty. The judge kept her in the jury pool, however, after she said she wanted to know the truth and was willing to listen to all the evidence. Thompson has said he has not had enough time to properly prepare, but on Friday the state Supreme Court refused to delay the trial. Thompson said he received evidence from prosecutors as late as a few weeks ago, and he has been unable to find all the witnesses he needs to adequately defend Lee. Lee originally was indicted on a 1st-degree murder count in DeSoto's death, but prosecutors amended the charge to 2nd-degree murder in January, saying they would have a greater chance of convicting Lee. In 2nd-degree murder cases in Louisiana, 10 of 12 jurors must agree for a conviction, but the vote must be unanimous in 1st-degree murder cases. Prosecutors in the death penalty cases must show that a defendant committed another felony, such as rape or robbery, along with the murder. They said that evidence was not strong in the DeSoto case. Victims in the 1st-degree murder cases were sexually assaulted, authorities have said. In addition to DeSoto, authorities say Lee has been linked by DNA to the deaths of Gina Green, Charlotte Pace, Pam Kinamore, Trineisha Colomb, Carrie Yoder and Randi Mebruer. (source: Associated Press)
