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Linda Carty on Death Row appeals for justice

1,434 views · Published 1 December 2011 · 0:51 · Indexed 23 September 2026

Channel: ignoredvoices · 2011 · Nonprofits & Activism

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Background:

British grandmother and former primary school teacher Linda Carty was born on the Caribbean island and independent British Commonwealth realm of St Kitts. She was sentenced to die by lethal injection for allegedly ordering the murder of Joana Rodriguez in 2001.

The crime took place on 16 May 2001, when three men broke into the apartment of Rodriguez demanding drugs and cash. The perpetrators saved their own lives by testifying against Linda. Linda has always protested her innocence and believes that she was framed because of her work as a confidential informant for the US Drugs Enforcement Agency.

There were multiple serious failings in Linda's trial. First, the USA failed to notify the British government of her arrest and trial as it was obliged to do under the Vienna Convention on the Right to Consular Assistance. As a result Linda was forced to rely on a court-appointed public defender, Jerry Guerinot. Alleged incompetence from Mr Guerinot has already landed 20 of his clients on death row, more than any other defence attorney in the US.

Reprieve believes that Mr Guerinot's handling of Linda's case was a scandal. He spent just 15 minutes with her before the trial and subsequently fabricated a story about how she had refused to see him until he bribed her with chocolate -- Linda is fatally allergic to chocolate. Mr Guerinot also failed to spot obvious flaws and inconsistencies in the prosecution's case. He failed to investigate important mitigating evidence and to interview key witnesses in St Kitts, despite obtaining court funds to do so.

The charity is sure that Linda would not be on death row today -- and she would probably have been acquitted altogether -- if she had had a decent lawyer.

Her final appeal has been over-ruled, so her execution could be carried out at any time.

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