UK NEWS

HEART FEARS FOR DEATH ROW SCOT

PAINS: Kenny Richey

Friday December 21,2007

By Paul Gilbride

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DEATH Row Scot Kenny Richey’s dreams of being freed in time to spend Christmas with his family in Scotland, were in tatters yesterday after he was rushed to hospital.

Richey, who was brought up Edinburgh before moving to the US whan he was 18, was sentenced to death in 1987 after he was convicted of an arson attack on an apartment block in Ohio in which a two-year-old girl died.

The 43-year-old was expected to be freed after pleading no contest to attempted involuntary manslaughter, child endangering and breaking and entering at a court appearance yesterday.

He would be guilty on a lesser charge and sentenced to serve the period of time he has already spent in prison.

Richey, who has a history of of heart problems, had planned to return to Edinburgh, where his mother Eileen lives, in time for Christmas.

Instead, his release after 21 years on Death Row was postponed after he was rushed to hospital with chest pains.

Karen Torley, Richey’s former fiancee and a long-time campaigner for his release, yesterday described the latest development as a “cruel blow.”

She claimed that Richey had suffered chest pains before and nothing was done, and said she believed that postponing the trial was a “stalling tactic” by the authorities.

Miss Torley, of Cambuslang, near Glasgow, said: “How cruel is that? They just don’t want him out. They wanted to just sneak him out, they don’t want the publicity but, by doing this they are getting publicity.

“Year after year I have fought to get him medical treatment and they didn’t even give him vitamin tablets until a couple of months ago.

“It’s only now they are doing something about it and it is a stalling tactic. I have only just heard and I can’t believe it. His mother will be devastated.”

Richey was expected to walk free yesterday after a court hearing in Ohio and then immediately catch a flight to Scotland.

But officials at the state’s Putnam police court said the case has now been put back after he was taken to hospital from jail early yesterday morning just hours before his hearing.

Because of his trip to hospital, his court appearance has been rescheduled to after the New Year, on January 8.

Yesterday Beverly Miese, a deputy clerk at Putnam Common Police Court, said: “I can confirm that the hearing has been postponed because Mr Richey was transferred to the hospital early this morning.

“He was in jail and was having chest pains. His case has been rescheduled for January 8.”

She added that Richey, who has joint British and US citizenship, had been transferred to St Rita’s Medical Centre in the nearby city of Lima.

Ms Miese said papers had been printed out in court to formally postpone the hearing. It is thought that the excitement that he could be out of jail before Christmas may have aggravated his condition.

Richey’s lawyer, Ken Parsigian, said doctors at the hospital had decided his client needed a heart catheter. He said: “They may have decided that is all they need to do, he may need surgery. At this stage we don’t know”

“Better that this problem happenes now than in the air.”

Asked how this further delay would affect Richey’s mother, Mr Parsigian said: “I would tell Eillen that she is going to get Kenny back soon - and for a very long time.”