August 3
SCOTLAND:
Death Row Briton's Supporters March on U.S. Consulate
Supporters of death row Briton Kenny Richey marked his 40th birthday today
by highlighting what they claim is a "compelling" miscarriage of justice.
The Scot was sentenced to death after being convicted by an Ohio court in
1987 of arson and the aggravated murder of a two-year-old girl.
Richey, who was born in The Netherlands and brought up in Edinburgh by his
Scottish mother and US serviceman father, has always protested his
innocence.
3 pipers led Richey's partner Karen, who uses his surname, and other
supporters marched from the Scottish Executive building to the US
Consulate in Edinburgh.
The group, who want a retrial in light of new evidence and concerns over
how the original trial was conducted, carried a birthday cake stating that
'Life begins at 40', along with 1,000 cards from well-wishers.
Cecile Shea, the US Consul General to Scotland, came out personally and
told Richey's supporters she had followed the case closely, but insisted
his fate lay with the American courts rather than with government.
However, campaigners such as Reprieve and Amnesty International - which
describes Richey's case as "one of the most compelling cases of apparent
innocence that human rights campaigners have ever come across" - say the
UK Government must now intervene.
John Watson, of Amnesty in Scotland, who introduced the Consul General to
Ms Richey, told her that many people had concerns about the case and
wanted a review of the evidence.
Ms Shea, who promised to get the cards to Richey in Ohio, replied: "As you
know, this is currently in the state courts and, even if and when it
reaches the federal courts, it won't be an executive branch issue.
"But I have followed the case very closely and I appreciate that you are
remaining active and doing what you believe is right, as I appreciate the
work that Amnesty does all around the world."
Ms Richey, who was joined by 2 of her teenage children, Mark and Katie,
said her partner was depressed and tired when she spoke to him on the eve
of his birthday yesterday.
It was "vital" the UK Government urged the US authorities to ensure the
new evidence was heard in court, she said.
The 41-year-old, from Cambuslang, near Glasgow, said: "We've got arson
experts from Australia and America, top people, who say that this fire was
not arson, it was a furniture fire.
"We've been waiting a while for a decision from the Sixth Circuit Federal
Court of Appeals, and it could come back at any time - weeks, months
maybe.
"If they refuse to hear the fresh evidence we'll go to the Supreme Court,
but they very rarely overturn a decision made in this court.
"So everything's hingeing on this appeal. It's vital that the Government
gets involved now, to ask that Kenny be treated fairly and has a new
trial.
"We're not asking for Kenny just to walk free, but to get justice by
having a retrial where he can prove he is innocent."
(source: The Scotsman)
