NEWS: Child Killers Death Penalty Overturned

The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court Of Appeals has overturned the death penalty conviction of Kenneth T. Richey, Richey, convicted for the killing of a 2 year old girl, will have to be retried in 90 days or be released. In overturning the conviction, the court pointed to incompetent legal council. The state of Ohio is review its options.



Well, hopefully they try him and find him guilty or innocent based on the evidence presented. If he is truly innocent, then he will be set free. This is why these guys get so many appeals. However, the attorney that represented him should bear some form of censure for not doing his or her job either.

[edit on 1/25/05 by FredT]

There are a lot of these cases that I believe are wrongly charged. For instance, in this one, it very much sounds as if manslaughter would have been a "give me" charge. Why did they go for murder?

I think, when things involve children, that is so psychologically upsetting to the prosecutors that they tend to let their emotions lead them instead of their sense. I know I would be greatly affected if I had to be involved in a prosecution that involved a 2 year old little girl getting burned to death. Maybe prosecutors should adopt a cooling off period after these highly-charged, emotional incidences have occurred.

Or maybe they should start pinging un-involved prosecuting offices in other cities so they can get some objective feedback.

On the other side, if it was my two yr old, id want the bastard fried!
Of course i would have to have sufficient evidence the fire was started by the perp, and was deliberate. Very testy cases indeed. Emotion naturally comes to the fore. Hard to beleive a perp innocent under certain circumstances. You wonder why any "accused" IS "accused" if they are totally innocent?
Cases dont get prosecuted on no evidence or connextion to the "accused" what so ever, do they?

Originally posted by FredT


Well, hopefully they try him and find him guilty or innocent based on the evidence presented. If he is truly innocent, then he will be set free. This is why these guys get so many appeals. However, the attorney that represented him should bear some form of censure for not doing his or her job either.

[edit on 1/25/05 by FredT]

I've got two letters for you. OJ. Guilty as David Burkowitz.

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Valhall,
I don't think it is emotion on the part of DAs,
The public gets emotional and the DA takes political advantage of it.
Sometimes the horror of a crime convinces people to convict when the evidence is either shakey or not even there.
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