Reprieve launches Supreme Court Appeal to save British Grandmother Linda Carty

Linda Carty, a 51 year old British national will be executed by the state of Texas within the next few months unless her appeal to the Supreme Court for a retrial is successful.

The plea was filed on Friday 26th February in Washington DC and announced via a press conference in London, in which Reprieve was delighted to have bestselling Crime writer Martina Cole and British filmmaker Steve Humphries give their support to the battle to save Linda from her terrible plight.

Reprieve is appealing to the British Public and Government to do what they can to prevent Linda's death. A recorded statement made by Linda was broadcast from the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square last September, as part of Anthony Gormley’s One and Other Exhibition in which Linda said “It is everybody’s worst nightmare to be convicted of a crime they didn’t commit… Time is now running out and I appeal to every one of you and the British government to help me”.

Now a unique video plea on behalf of Linda is to be submitted to the Supreme Court alongside the appeal and an amicus brief from the British Government. If it fails, Carty could be executed within months at the end of a process which can at best be characterised as catastrophically flawed.

About to travel to Texas next month, where she will support Linda and educate the US public and politicians about her catastrophic trial, Martina Cole urged the British public to research her case and get involved. The failings of the judicial system are so terrible and the case against Linda is so flimsy according to Martina, a professional writer, that if she had presented Linda’s story as a book to her publishers, they would have said it was “too far fetched”.

The ludicrous nature of this sentence is also highlighted by the particularly powerful character of the amicus brief formed by the British government, blocked during the initial trial from providing support. Indeed Linda was not informed that, as a British citizen, she was entitled to contact the consulate. Her lawyer also failed to inform the consulate of her arrest. If they had been notified at the time they would have been able to provide her with decent representation, monitored proceedings and attempted to persuade prosecutors not to seek the death penalty.

Steve Humphries who made the video plea has just returned from the U.S where he met with Linda. At today’s press conference he described the “deeply moving experience” of meeting Linda’s family. Far from being dysfunctional in any way whatsoever, it’s clear that they absolutely “adore her” according to the British director, who recalls in particular the tragic tale of Linda’s daughter Jovelle who related to him the traumatic experience of visiting her Mum in prison. Although “shackled in a cage”, Jovelle still describes her mother as warm and caring, always willing to carry on, calmly taking care of her as she has always done and who she still thinks of as “the best mum in the world”.

When asked about the emotional state of Linda, convicted of a crime she did not commit and denied any access to justice ever since, Steve Humphries refers to a calm and composed woman who shows incredible emotional intelligence and is capable of extraordinary eloquence. The only time she appears to lose control “is when she talks about never seeing her grand children”.

What keeps Linda going, in light of such a horrible fate imposed upon her by a system that has let her down, is the faith that she is innocent and the wish to see her family again.

Linda lost an earlier appeal in September when the Fifth Circuit Court in New Orleans opted not to overturn her conviction. This appeal is likely to be her last chance for redress.

“Linda Carty’s court-appointed lawyer did not act as her lawyer in any sense of the word - it is horrendous that his incompetence may result in Linda’s death. We hope the Supreme Court will reopen this case, in the interests of justice and for the sake of Linda’s heart-broken family”, says Clare Algar, Executive Director of Reprieve.

This is a “terrible tragic story”, says Martina Cole. “The only hope is that it won’t have a terrible tragic ending”. 

Written by Reprieve Volunteer Charlie Burnett