Kenny Richey grilled after attack on man, 63

Jul 20 2008 By John Mceachran

FORMER Death Row prisoner Kenny Richey was led away in handcuffs and quizzed by police over an attack on a 63-year-old man.

Richey, who served 21 years on Death Row in Ohio, was freed without charge after being picked up near his home in Edinburgh on Friday and grilled for several hours.

Ian McCall, who was battered outside his home in the city's Polwarth the previous day, claimed Richey was his attacker.

But Richey, 43, who returned to Scotland in January, said yesterday: "There's no evidence against me."

He said the police picked him up in the street on Friday night after first going to his flat in Fountainbridge, and finding that he was not there.

He said of Mr McCall, who needed nine stitches in his head: "He is only blaming me because I went to his home last week.

"He owes me money. He owes me £400 for cigarettes."

He added: "The police got me in the street when I came out of the pub. They took me in cuffs to a police station. They didn't charge me. There's no proof."

Police said: "A 43-year-old man was questioned by police investigating an alleged assault the previous evening.

"He was released and informed further inquiries were to be made."