British grandmother Linda Carty has spent almost twenty years on death row in a US prison.
In 2003, she was convicted of the murder of young mum Joana Rodriguez so she could steal Joana's newborn son. A court was told Linda orchestrated the kidnap of her pregnant neighbour, equipped with scrubs and scissors, as she intended to cut the baby out.
Linda didn’t know that Joana had already had her baby four days earlier. Joana and her tiny baby boy were kidnapped and Joana was suffocated to death and found in the boot of Linda's car.
READ MORE: Baby girl mauled to death by dog in her own home
Linda has been awaiting execution for 20 years, and has maintained her innocence to this day. A documentary airing on ITV this evening (Tuesday) will see Susanna Reid meet Linda inside the high security prison in Texas.
British Grandma on Death Row will tell the "unique" story of the only British woman on death row anywhere in the western world. Linda will tell Susanna she is "not guilty", despite the substantial evidence against her.
Prosecutors claim Linda was so desperate for a baby that she sought to kidnap Joana and keep baby Ray for herself. However, this is no straight forward case.
There are many questions over the validity of the witnesses who testified against Linda at her trial, as their stories have changed since Linda’s conviction. However, despite several applications for appeal Linda remains behind bars awaiting the death penalty.
With access to police custody footage of Linda and one of the key witnesses, Chris Robinson, Susanna Reid investigates the many twists and turns in this harrowing murder case. She also speaks to Linda’s daughter, Jovelle Joubert, who speaks candidly of the struggles of awaiting her mother’s execution on death row and states she would not attend the execution of her mother.
Lynn Hardaway, former Harris County Assistant District Attorney, recalls Linda’s conviction and said: “I don’t have any doubt she is guilty of this crime; all the evidence was consistent and had her as the ringleader and orchestrator of the whole offence.”
Barrister, Hugh Southey QC, has campaigned for Linda’s release for the last ten years and says the convicted grandmother did not have sufficient, high-quality representation at the murder trial.
British Grandma on Death Row with Susanna Reid airs at 9pm on Tuesday (March 22) on ITV and the ITV Hub
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