13th time lucky - Richey appeal succeeds

[zotz]

A US appeal court has found that his original trial was too flawed to stand. The state is expected to appeal.

Kenny Richey has spent 19 years on death row for the murder by arson of his former girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter. Expert opinion that the fire was started deliberately with a flammable liquid has been challenged since the original trial, and the court wasn't apparently told that the girl had the habit of playing with matches and had already managed to start 3 small fires before the fatal night.

Ten years ago Richey came within an hour of execution. He had already said goodbye to his mother and had his head shaved.

BBC story here.

Comments

[redcountess]

Isn't that the man who they said shouldn't be executed because he's mentally disabled?

[zotz]

I don't think so, no. That was someone - they were at least several someones - else. There are so many dodgy convictions on death row, though - usually due to inadequate or nonexistent legal representation.

[redcountess]

Yes, I have read that the majority of people on death row are either African American or other "minority", or socially/economically disadvantaged, or mentally disabled - so much for the Land Of The Free!

[zotz]

Some are freer than others.

[king-prawn.livejournal.com]

No, actually white folks outnumber all other categories combined...unless you take Hispanic people out of the "white" category, then white folks are still the largest group on death row but outnumbered by all non-white combined.

For folks who actually get executed, white folks are very much in the majority even with Hispanic people taken out of the "white" column and combine with all other non-white folks.

[missfairchild.livejournal.com]

Fantastic news.

[sibelian.livejournal.com]

How did he avoid execution last time?

[zotz]

Presumably a stay due to a previous appeal which was ultimately unsuccessful.