Post by pebbles on Aug 10, 2007 18:47:08 GMT -5
Early media coverage of today's US 6th Circuit ruling ordering retrial or release of Kenny Richey: Jim Provance has this coverage for the Toledo Blade, entitled "Court rules state of Ohio must retry Richey in Putnam County arson death or release him." Sky News has this brief article, entitled "Death Penalty Scot's Sentence Overturned." Dan Sewell has this story for AP, entitled "Federal appeals court again throws out Richey's death sentence." The UK Sun has this coverage, entitled "Death row Scot's joy." The UK Metro has this article, entitled "Richey's death sentence overturned." Adam Fresco has this for the Times Online.
AP excerpt:
A federal appeals court Friday again threw out the conviction and death sentence of a U.S.-British citizen who's been on Ohio's death row for two decades.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, ordered by the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider its 2005 ruling in favor of Kenneth Richey, again said Richey received ineffective counsel in his trial for the 1986 death of a northwest Ohio toddler in a fire he was charged with setting. The court gave Ohio 90 days to give Richey, whose case has drawn international attention, a new trial or his freedom.
"We conclude that we properly reached and considered the merits of Richey's ineffective-assistance claim in our prior disposition," wrote Judge R. Guy Cole Jr., joined by Judge Martha Craig Daughtrey. The other judge on the appellate panel, Eugene E. Siler Jr., wrote a separate opinion saying he partly concurred with the majority, but dissented because he didn't believe decisions by lower courts against Richey were contrary to or unreasonable applications of the law.
Ken Parsigian, who argued Richey's appeal, was delighted with the ruling, but said: "The ball is really in the state's court."
The state could appeal the ruling. A message for comment was left with Attorney General Marc Dann's office. ...
Times Online excerpt:
...Clive Stafford Smith, the Legal Director of Reprieve, a charity that provides investigation and legal representation to prisoners facing the death penalty, who has been involved in Mr Richey’s case for ten years, said: “It’s time for the new UK Government to step up the pressure to end this farce.
"The Ohio prosecutors have spent thousands and thousands of dollars trying to keep this plainly innocent man on death row, rather than admit that they made a mistake 20 years ago.
"Let us hope that they do not waste thousands more appealing the decision made by the Sixth Circuit today, but rather let him return to the UK and re-start his life.”
John Watson, director of Amnesty International Scotland, said: “This is fantastic news and represents the opportunity that Kenny's long fought for - the chance to clear his name in a proper trial.
“Nobody should be sent to the living hell of death row, but Kenny Richey’s 20-year ordeal came after a flawed trial and serious concerns about the Ohio justice system.
“On the one had it is disturbing that it has taken this long for Ohio to look again at Kenny’s case - but now at least Kenny may be on the road to release.” ...
Metro excerpt:
...Scottish anti-death penalty campaigner Karen Torley, who has been heavily involved in the long-standing campaign, said: "I am absolutely delighted at today's news - it's been a long, long time coming. We're now hoping that he does get a retrial, so that Kenny actually has the chance to clear his name.
"I have always had full confidence in the fact that Kenny is absolutely innocent - and now Kenny's now one vital step closer to proving that to the world."
ohiodeathpenaltyinfo.typepad.com/ohio_death_penalty_inform/