Kenny Richey's health failing as second US prison term looms

Published on Monday 15 February 2010 09:21

KENNY Richey today told how his life had fallen to pieces barely two years since being released from Death Row and admitted "I feel like I'm dying".

The 45-year-old told the Evening News of his fears as he faces losing the home he shares with his ex-wife, worsening health problems which have left him reliant on an oxygen bottle, and the prospect of another two years in a US jail. Richey, 45, is currently free on bail after being charged with attacking his son, Sean, 23, with a baseball bat at the family home in Minnesota last month.

Before his arrest, Richey wrote to his brother Tam, who himself is serving a 65-year sentence for murder in the US, to say he was "dying".

The former US Marine, who has a history of heart problems, said that while doctors had not told him that, it was simply how he felt every day.

"The doctors haven't told me anything different, but I feel like I'm dying. Every day I feel more exhausted and it's getting harder to breathe. I have to use an oxygen bottle now. Death is plaguing my mind and dying is always in my thoughts."

As part of his 1,850 bail conditions, Richey is banned from drinking alcohol, which he said has been "difficult", or leaving the state. He added that his plans to return to Edinburgh and re-marry his former wife, Wendy Amerud, were now in tatters due to the court case and lack of money.

Richey, who spent 21 years on Death Row before being released, said he planned to plead not guilty at his trial, set to be held this summer, but expected the authorities to come down hard on him.

He said: "I know they are going to try and get me as much prison time as they can.

"I'm expecting to receive two years if they find me guilty. I know the prosecutors in Ohio have been on the phone to Minnesota to hit me hard. They feel like I got away and want me back inside.

"I've done a lot of time but it'll be tough to go back to prison.

"The bail conditions mean I can't leave the state or drink alcohol. That's been difficult because I like my beer."

He added: "I wanted to come back to Scotland to marry Wendy, but that doesn't seem possible now. We couldn't afford it anyway and, with the mortgage payments, it's looking like we may lose the house."

His son moved out of the family house in the town of Baxter following the bust-up on 6 January, and is staying with his girlfriend.

Richey added: "Sean visited the house on Thursday and told me he doesn't want me to go back to prison and he doesn't want to have to testify against me.

"But he's not apologised for what happened. He still thinks it's my fault.

"That night me and Sean were messing around and wrestling. Then I put a choke hold on him and he didn't like that and threw three punches. I threw a few back and he ran and got a steel baseball bat.

"He hit me in the arm with the bat then locked himself in his room. I broke through the door and punched him again."

Richey had returned to the US in April last year to be with his father Jim, who died after a long battle with prostate cancer.

He was convicted in 1987 of an arson attack on a block of flats in an Ohio town in which a two-year-old girl died, but was freed in January 2008.