HIGHLIGHTS Richey death-penalty case

Tracing the case of Kenneth Richey, whose 20-year-old death sentence in Ohio was thrown out for a second time Friday by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals:

June 30, 1986: Two-year-old Cynthia Collins, who lived with her mother in the apartment above Richey’s former girlfriend, dies in a fire in Columbus Grove, Ohio. Richey is accused of setting the fire to target his former girlfriend and her new boyfriend, who both escaped the blaze.

1987: Richey is sentenced to die after being convicted of aggravated murder, aggravated arson, child endangering and breaking and entering.

1992: State courts uphold his conviction in the beginning of a series of rejected appeals.

2005: 6th Circuit overturns his conviction and sentence in January; the U.S. Supreme Court in November tells the appeals court its decision was flawed and sends the case back to the Cincinnati-based court.

2007: 6th Circuit again rules that Richey, now 43, should get a new trial or be freed in 90 days.

Source: Associated Press