By Annita McVeigh BBC correspondent in Ohio

The 39-year-old Scot, who has always proclaimed his innocence, is now facing the final set of appeals against his sentence.

Kenny Richey is the only British citizen on Death Row

It's where the state gives lethal injections to death row inmates who have run out of time.

Death row itself is a two-and-a-half hour drive away at the Mansfield Correctional Institution.

Among its 208 inmates is Kenny Richey, one of only two British citizens awaiting execution in the United States.

And it's been a long wait. Richey, who grew up in Scotland, is 39.

He recently began his 18th year on death row.

What, I wondered, does spending half your life in this way do to someone?

The first five years were nightmarish - incredible, I was climbing the walls - I've learned to deal with it better Kenny Richey

I went to Ohio to try to find out. The UK Director of Amnesty International, Kate Allen, and Scottish Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael were there to visit Richey as well.

This is a crucial time for him.

He was sentenced to death in 1987 for starting a fire in an apartment block in which a two-year-old girl, Cynthia Collins, died.

The prosecution said Richey had a jealous streak and wanted to kill his ex-girlfriend and her new partner, who lived in the same block.

He's waiting now for the result of one of the final appeals available to him, all the while insisting that he is innocent - the victim of a flawed trial.

'More tolerant'

Richey says death row has changed him in lots of ways.

He said: "I'm more in control of my anger. It used to be before I'd go off at anything. I was hard to get along with, now I'm easy to get along with.

"I'm more patient, more tolerant of people, but I'm less trusting of individuals."

It's inconceivable that somebody who had such a poor trial with such flawed evidence should face the death penalty Kate Allen Amnesty International

He says he's learned to cope with death row.

His daily routine consists of an hour of recreation where he's allowed to mix with a handful of other inmates, and watching television in his cell.

"The first five years were nightmarish - incredible. I was climbing the walls. I've learned to deal with it better."

Ms Allen feels the chance to hear Kenny Richey's story first hand will ensure Amnesty's campaign for him has new energy.

"It's inconceivable that somebody who had such a poor trial with such flawed evidence should face the death penalty", she says.

Mr Carmichael feels there is "substantial doubt" about the safety of the conviction.

But Ohio state prosecutor Michael Collyer is convinced of Richey's guilt, and points to the testimony of psychologists who said he punished people who were disloyal to him.

He said: "There was a host of witnesses who confirmed that he had threatened to do it, had the motive to do it, the opportunity to do it and then bragged about doing it afterwards."

Clemency granted

The majority of executions are still carried out in America's southern states.

Ohio is one of the few northern states still putting people to death - three prisoners last year, two so far this year.

I used to be afraid of death when I was a kid, but I'm not anymore - death doesn't bother me Kenny Richey

But its Republican governor Bob Taft recently granted clemency in one case.

It's difficult to tell when Kenny Richey might be taken to the Death House.

After this appeal, two others could be open to him, including an appeal to the US Supreme Court.

There's also the possibility of political intervention.

Last week in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Tony Blair spoke about Kenny Richey's case, and said the Foreign Office was in touch with officials in Ohio.

Before his trial Richey had the opportunity to make a plea bargain.

Had he pleaded guilty to second degree manslaughter then, he would have been free by now.

But he says he doesn't regret that decision: "I'm innocent and I'll stand by that 'til the day they kill me.