Homeless Kenny Richey moves back in with mum after time in jail

Published on Friday 13 March 2009 08:49

FORMER Death Row Scot Kenny Richey is back home living with his mum after losing his rented flat during his seven months in Saughton Prison.

Richey, 44, lost his flat in Polwarth while he was being held on remand over charges of assaulting a 64-year-old man.

The charges were dropped due to lack of evidence last week and Richey was freed but he left jail to find he had lost the lease on his flat and instead returned to live with mother Eileen, 64, at her home in Orwell Terrace.

Speaking to the Evening News, Richey said he was glad to be home and revealed he'd spoken to his ex-wife Wendy Amerud and she still hopes to move to Scotland to rekindle their relationship.

He also said he hopes to travel back to the United States to see his sick father for the last time after doctors gave him only three months to live.

Richey said: "I lost the lease on my flat when I was in prison and I have no money. I'm glad to be able to come back to my mum's but I miss having a place of my own.

"I want to get a job but it doesn't look like I can because of my heart condition.

"I hate drawing benefits because I want to make my own way in the world, but I might not have any choice.

"Working in the prison pantry was the first job I've had since the 1980s and I enjoyed it. I miss being able to work."

His mother said she was relieved that Richey had been freed from prison and was back home with her, but she admitted they sometimes found it difficult.

Mrs Richey added: "It's different now because he's an adult. It's not like it was years ago. I wish he would cut out the swearing, because there's no need for it, but it's nice to have him home again."

Prosecutors dropped the charges of beating Robert McCall with a baton in Edinburgh on the second day of a trial at the High Court in Paisley due to a lack of corroboration.

Richey said: "I just spent seven months in prison for something I never did. That's another seven months of my life gone and I don't feel like there's a lot of life left in me.

"I think the prosecutors tried to do the same as the Americans did, assume I was guilty and do their best to keep me inside."

Richey said that the supply of heroin and crack at Saughton was rife, and that he witnessed a razor attack and an inmate having his jaw broken in a fight. Several prisoners also threatened him while others called him "beast", saying he had "burned that wee lassie".

Richey has always denied the killing of three-year-old Cynthia Collins in Ohio in 1987, for which he spent 21 years on Death Row. He was eventually released in January last year.

He added: "I never admitted to charges of arson and manslaughter because they were withdrawn. I pled no contest to attempted involuntarily manslaughter and child endangerment because they alleged I had agreed to babysit Cynthia at the time she died. I never agreed to do that, although I still feel guilty that I could've saved her if I had."

Richey said his only plans for the immediate future were trying to visit his father in the US and building the relationship with his ex-wife.

He said: "I want to hug my dad for the first time in 22 years before he goes. I also want to see my son Sean and my two grandkids."