By 1997 both the forensic evidence and witness statements that had secured his conviction had been largely discredited, but Richey’s death sentence still stood because, as Prosecution Dan Gershutz said, "Even though this new evidence may establish Mr Richey's innocence, the Ohio and United States constitution nonetheless allow him to be executed because the prosecution did not know that the scientific testimony offered at the trial was false and unreliable." A retrial based on new evidence was denied, despite support from hundreds of MPs and luminaries, including the Pope.

Richey would have been executed over the next couple of months. Yet on Tuesday, in his final appeal to the sixth circuit court, the judgement was finally deemed unsafe. Ohio State prosecutors have been ordered to retry Richey within 90 days or release him, though they are expected to appeal the decision.

Richey may not be free just yet, but at what was planned as a protest tomorrow outside the US consulate - to mark 18 years to the day since he went on death row - the mood will surely be one more of celebration than of protest.

For more information on Kenny Richeys case, go to  http://www.kennyrichey.org

For information on other Britons being held on death row, go to  http://www.reprieve.org.uk

To hear commentaries by African American Journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal - another innocent man on death row – go to  http://www.fsrn.org/news/audio/mumia

If you can make it for the vigil, please meet Thursday at 10:00 am at the Chaplaincy Centre, or at 10:30 at the consulate on Carlton Hill. Perhaps a solidarity protest is occurring in London or could be held at the US embassy there.