Society urges Blair to intervene in US death-row case

The Law Society has written to Prime Minister Tony Blair urging him personally to launch a last-ditch bid to save the life of a British citizen on death row in the US.Bermudan-born Tracy Hounsel was scheduled to die by lethal injection this week for the rape and murder of hitchhiker Jean Drew in 1985, unless the execution is successfully delayed.

Since his prosecution, it has emerged that Mr Hounsel suffered beatings as a child that have left him with mental health problems.Law Society President, David McIntosh, said: 'We strongly believe if the jury at the original trial had heard all the relevant evidence, Tracy Hounsel would not have spent 16 years on death row and his life would not be about to end this way.

The Prime Minister and all those in a position to help should act immediately.'

Andrew Towler