A CHARFORD law student has helped save an American prisoner from the death penalty.

Twenty-year-old Michelle Harding, of Wesley Walk, helped overturn the death sentence of Missouri offender Carman Deck.

In the initial trial Deck was convicted of two counts of first degree murder and four other charges and sentenced to death in Missouri state court.

But University of Central England professor Julian Killingley, who monitors all cases the US Supreme Court decides to review, thought they could help.

Michelle was chosen to work on the case because she and another student got the highest marks in year two of her course at the Birmingham university. She helped submit a brief on behalf of the Bar of England and Wales Human Rights Committee and the American National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Delighted Michelle said: "It was a great feeling to know all our hard work had been worth it. We had two months to put the brief together so we researched different defence points of view."

Professor Killingley added: "I am delighted that British lawyers and our students have played some part in seeing that sentencing is conducted fairly when a man's life is at stake."

They argued that Deck's case of appeal against his death sentence had been unduly demeaning and prejudicial. His first death sentence had been overturned, but during his appeal for re-sentencing, and with the jury still to hear further evidence on which to base their decision, the Judge had agreed for Deck to appear before them trussed in chains and shackles.

On studying the brief, in which the students collaborated with a Birmingham law firm and a barrister, the US Supreme Court reversed the decision of the Supreme Court of Missouri and upheld the brief's claim of an unduly prejudicial sentencing.

Now unless Missouri takes steps to begin a fresh re-sentencing hearing for Deck soon, a life sentence will be substituted for the previous death sentence.