Richey faces three years in prison for judge threat

FORMER death row inmate Kenny Richey faces up to three years in jail in the US after pleading guilty to threatening a judge.

Richey, 47, yesterday admitted leaving a threatening phone message for a judge who prosecuted his original case.

He violated a court order by telling ex-Putnam County Court lawman Randall Basinger: “I’m coming to get you.”

Richey appeared in Putnam County Common Pleas and pled to one count of retaliation by calling Judge Basinger on New Year’s Eve.

He admitted placing a call to Putnam County Clerk of Court office and leaving a message saying he was in the state and was coming to get the official.

A second charge, violation of a civil protection order, was thrown out by prosecutors.

Judge Basinger was an assistant county prosecutor in 1986 when Richey was charged with setting a fire which killed a toddler.

Mr Basinger was in court yesterday to see Richey and watch the proceedings.

The blaze at an Ohio apartment killed two-year-old Cynthia Collins, and Richey spent 21 years in a US jail awaiting execution before his sentence was overturned.

He has previously voiced his dislike for the judge, saying Basinger cost him 22 years of his life, but it is thought his defence at any trial would have been his comments were meant as a joke.

Richey – who is now a US citizen – will be sentenced by a visiting judge in May.