You may remember the gripping case of Kenny Richey, the Scot from Edinburgh who spent over 20 years on death row - details below. Well, Scots In London were supporters of Kenny's release and helped to promote his plight by supporting the Reprieve Gig led by The Proclaimers at The Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in 2006. We're delighted that Kenny has now been released and we hooked up with him for a chat recently at the Red Lion pub in Whitehall following his meeting at the Westminster with MP's. Kenny was in good spirits, and is now keen to start work again, so if you can help please get in touch...

Cases: Kenny Richey (USA)

In 1987, Scotsman Kenny Richey was convicted of murdering a child after a fire in an apartment building.

The prosecution claimed that Kenny was trying to kill his ex girlfriend by starting a fire in an apartment building where he was supposed to be babysitting the child who died. At trial, the State presented highly dubious forensic evidence that the fire must have been deliberately started. This evidence was subsequently condemned by forensic experts as based on ‘unsound scientific principles’. It seems very likely that the fire was an accident.

In August 2007, Kenny’s conviction was overturned on the basis that he had received inadequate legal representation at his trial, and he was transferred to the county jail, where he was awaiting a retrial. It was the first time he had been off death row for 21 years.

In January 2008, Kenny reached an agreement with the prosecution which saw him released without facing retrial. The deal saw Kenny plead “nolo contendere” (no contest) to charges of attempted involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment and breaking and entering – which essentially meant that he was pleading to failure to babysit, and was exonerated of intentionally starting a fire. He has now moved back to Scotland, and is living in Edinburgh.

If you can help Kenny, please contact:
 
Marc Callcutt
Programmes Officer
Reprieve
PO Box 52742, London, EC4P 4WS

 
Tel: 020 73534640
Mob: 07747 604255
www.reprieve.org.uk

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