Ritchie found mentally retarded, ineligible for death

Scott A. Ritchie was indicted in Richland County for Aggravated Murder with death penalty specifications and other related charges on May 10, 2007.  On March 19, 2008, on Ritchie’s motion, the Richland County Court of Common Pleas found that Ritchie was a person with mental retardation and was thus excluded from the death penalty under Atkins v. Virginia, 536 U.S. 304 (2002) and State v. Lott, 97 Ohio St. 3d 303, 779 N.E.2d 1011 (2002).  In making this determination, the Court relied on findings by both Ritchie’s expert, Dr. David Hammer, and the State's expert, Dr. David Ott, that Ritchie was mentally retarded.  After finding that Ritchie was not eligible for the death penalty, the State moved to amend the indictment from Aggravated Murder with death penalty specifications to Murder under O.R.C. § 2903.02(A), and further moved to drop all other charges.  Ritchie plead guilty to Murder, and a sentence of 15 years to life was imposed by the Court. 

Ritchie was represented by OPD attorneys Greg Meyers, Jerry McHenry, and Kim Rigby.