British Prime Minister Tony Blair stepped dramatically...

British Prime Minister Tony Blair stepped dramatically into the Kenny Richey case - promising "to make inquiries myself" about the Scot on Death Row in Ohio. Mr Blair was replying to a question from Orkney and Shetland Lib Dem MP Alistair Carmichael, who was travelling to the US with Amnesty International director Kate Allen for a meeting with Richey, who had lived under sentence of death for arson and murder for 17 years despite evidence claimed to show him innocent. The prime minister told the MP he understood Richey is awaiting a decision on an appeal for a retrial and expecting a decision soon. He said: "We are continuing to monitor the case closely and see what the result of the appeal of Mr Richey is before deciding what further representations we need to make. "The Foreign Office is in touch directly with Mr Richey's lawyers both in the US and in the UK and with Ohio state officials. We will continue to monitor this closely and I will, as a result of your question, obviously make inquiries about it myself." Mr Carmichael said the organisation regarded the Richey case as "one of the most compelling cases of innocence they have seen". He added: "The engagement of the prime minister's personal involvement in this case could be crucial.