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New York Post
20-05-2025
- New York Post
Indiana man executed for the 2000 killing of a police officer is the state's second execution in 15 years
An Indiana man convicted in the fatal shooting of a police officer in 2000 was executed Tuesday by lethal injection in the state's second execution in 15 years. Benjamin Ritchie, 45, had been on Indiana's death row since 2002, when he was convicted of killing Beech Grove Police Officer Bill Toney during a chase on foot. Ritchie was executed at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, according to Indiana Department of Corrections officials. IDOC said in a statement that the process started shortly after midnight, and Ritchie was pronounced dead at 12:46 a.m. 6 Benjamin Ritchie, an Indiana man convicted in the fatal shooting of a police officer in 2000, was executed by lethal injection in the state's second execution in 15 years. AP Ritchie's last meal was from the Olive Garden, and he expressed love, support, and peace for his friends and family, according to the statement. Under state law, he was allowed five witnesses at his execution, which included his attorney Steve Schutte, who told reporters he had a limited view of the process. 'I couldn't see his face. He was lying flat by that time,' Schutte said. 'He sat up, twitched, laid back down.' The process was carried out hours after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take the case, exhausting all of Ritchie's legal options to fight the death sentence. 6 The Rev. Richard Holy leads a prayer vigil on May 19, before Ritchie's scheduled execution at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, Ind. AP Dozens of people, both anti-death penalty advocates and supporters of Toney, stood outside the prison until early Tuesday. Indiana resumed executions in December after a year-long hiatus due to a scarcity of lethal injection drugs nationwide. Prison officials provided photos of the execution chamber before Joseph Corcoran's execution, showing a space that looks like an operating room with a gurney, fluorescent lighting, and an adjacent viewing room. They've since offered few other details. Among 27 states with death penalty laws, Indiana is one of two that bars media witnesses. The other, Wyoming, has conducted one execution in the last half-century. 6 Ritchie had been on Indiana's death row since 2002, when he was convicted of killing Beech Grove Police Officer Bill Toney (pictured) during a chase on foot. MATT DETRICH / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The Associated Press and other media organizations filed a federal lawsuit in Indiana seeking media access, but a federal judge denied a preliminary injunction last week that would have allowed journalists to witness Ritchie's execution and future ones. The judge found that barring the news media doesn't violate the First Amendment, nor does it single out the news media for unequal treatment. The execution in Indiana is among 12 scheduled in eight states this year. Ritchie's execution and two others in Texas and Tennessee will be carried out this week. The 2000 fatal shooting of a police officer Ritchie was 20 when he and others stole a van in Beech Grove, near Indianapolis. He then fired at Toney during a foot chase, killing him. 6 The casket of slain Beech Grove police officer William Toney was carried to the service site by fellow Beech Grove officers before burial services were held at the Washington East Cemetery. MATT DETRICH / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images At the time, Ritchie was on probation from a 1998 burglary conviction. Toney, 31, had worked at the Beech Grove Police Department for two years. The married father of two was the first officer of the small department to be killed by gunfire in the line of duty. Relatives spoke at a clemency hearing last week in support of the execution. 'It's time. We're all tired,' said Dee Dee Horen, who was Toney's wife. 'It is time for this chapter of my story, our story, to be closed. It's time for us to remember Bill, to remember Bill's life, and not his death.' Appealing a death sentence Ritchie's attorneys have fought the death sentence, arguing his legal counsel at trial was ineffective because his lawyers failed to fully investigate and present evidence on his fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and childhood lead exposure. Current defense attorneys say Ritchie suffered 'severe brain damage' because his mother abused alcohol and drugs during pregnancy, and he's struggled with decision-making. He was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2005. Disability rights advocates argued that Ritchie's brain damage should have excluded him from the death penalty. 'This is a foolish, senseless, agonizing waste of time and money,' said Schutte, who added that Ritchie was no longer 'the same person who committed that crime.' Attorney General Todd Rokita said the execution honored Toney's 'sacrifice to the community.' Republican Gov. Mike Braun rejected Ritchie's clemency bid last week without explanation. The Indiana Supreme Court denied a request to stop the execution. Ritchie's attorneys challenged that decision in federal court, which a judge rejected. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the lower court on Sunday. As the sun set on Monday, the Rev. Richard Holy, a Catholic priest, recited the rosary with about 20 people in the prison parking lot. 6 Ritchie's attorneys have fought the death sentence, arguing his legal counsel at trial was ineffective because his lawyers failed to fully investigate and present evidence on his fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and childhood lead exposure. AP 'We don't have to keep taking one life to exact justice for taking another,' he said. Dozens also showed up to honor Toney's memory. 'I support the death penalty in certain cases, and this is one of them,' said Mark Hamner, an Indianapolis-area officer. Expressing regret and awaiting execution Attorneys said Ritchie changed during his more than two decades behind bars and had shown remorse. In court as a young man, Ritchie smiled at Horen and laughed as the verdict was read. 6 Ritchie's execution and two others in Texas and Tennessee will be carried out this week. AP He told a parole board he deeply regretted his actions, especially how he acted with Toney's widow. 'I wish I could go back to the day in court, because that man's wife deserved to say everything she needed to say to me, and that punk kid should have just kept his mouth shut and let her say whatever she needed to say,' Ritchie said. Ritchie, who was also a father, spent his last days getting visits from friends and family. 'I've ruined my life and other people's lives, and I'm so sorry for that night,' he told the parole board earlier this month. 'You can't take back what you did.'
NBC News
20-05-2025
- NBC News
Man executed for the 2000 killing of a police officer in Indiana's second execution in 15 years
MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. — An Indiana man convicted in the fatal shooting of a police officer in 2000 was executed Tuesday by lethal injection in the state's second execution in 15 years. Benjamin Ritchie, 45, had been on Indiana's death row since 2002, when he was convicted of killing Beech Grove Police Officer Bill Toney during a chase on foot. Ritchie was executed at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, according to Indiana Department of Corrections officials. IDOC said in a statement that the process started shortly after midnight and Ritchie was pronounced dead at 12:46 a.m. Ritchie's last meal was from the Olive Garden and he expressed love, support and peace for his friends and family, according to the statement. Under state law, he was allowed five witnesses at his execution, which included his attorney Steve Schutte, who told reporters he had a limited view of the process. 'I couldn't see his face. He was lying flat by that time,' Schutte said. 'He sat up, twitched, laid back down.' The process was carried out hours after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take the case, exhausting all of Ritchie's legal options to fight the death sentence. Dozens of people, both anti-death penalty advocates and supporters of Toney, stood outside the prison until early Tuesday. Indiana resumed executions in December after a yearslong hiatus due to a scarcity of lethal injection drugs nationwide. Prison officials provided photos of the execution chamber before Joseph Corcoran's execution, showing a space that looks like an operating room with a gurney, fluorescent lighting and an adjacent viewing room. They've since offered few other details. Among 27 states with death penalty laws, Indiana is one of two that bars media witnesses. The other, Wyoming, has conducted one execution in the last half-century. The Associated Press and other media organizations filed a federal lawsuit in Indiana seeking media access, but a federal judge denied a preliminary injunction last week that would have allowed journalists to witness Ritchie's execution and future ones. The judge found that barring the news media doesn't violate the First Amendment nor does it single out the news media for unequal treatment. The execution in Indiana is among 12 scheduled in eight states this year. Ritchie's execution and two others in Texas and Tennessee will be carried out this week. The 2000 fatal shooting of a police officer Ritchie was 20 when he and others stole a van in Beech Grove, near Indianapolis. He then fired at Toney during a foot chase, killing him. At the time Ritchie was on probation from a 1998 burglary conviction. Toney, 31, had worked at the Beech Grove Police Department for two years. The married father of two was the first officer of the small department to be killed by gunfire in the line of duty. Relatives spoke at a clemency hearing last week in support of the execution. 'It's time. We're all tired,' said Dee Dee Horen, who was Toney's wife. 'It is time for this chapter of my story, our story, to be closed. It's time for us to remember Bill, to remember Bill's life, and not his death.' Appealing a death sentence Ritchie's attorneys have fought the death sentence, arguing his legal counsel at trial was ineffective because his lawyers failed to fully investigate and present evidence on his fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and childhood lead exposure. Current defense attorneys say Ritchie suffered 'severe brain damage' because his mother abused alcohol and drugs during pregnancy and he's struggled with decision-making. He was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2005. Disability rights advocates argued that Ritchie's brain damage should have excluded him from the death penalty. 'This is a foolish, senseless, agonizing waste of time and money,' said Schutte, who added that Ritchie was no longer 'the same person who committed that crime.' Attorney General Todd Rokita said the execution honored Toney's 'sacrifice to the community.' Republican Gov. Mike Braun rejected Ritchie's clemency bid last week without explanation. The Indiana Supreme Court denied a request to stop the execution. Ritchie's attorneys challenged that decision in federal court, which a judge rejected. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the lower court on Sunday. As the sun set Monday, the Rev. Richard Holy, a Catholic priest, recited the rosary with about 20 people in the prison parking lot. 'We don't have to keep taking one life to exact justice for taking another,' he said. Dozens also showed up to honor Toney's memory. 'I support the death penalty in certain cases and this is one of them,' said Mark Hamner, an Indianapolis-area officer. Expressing regret and awaiting execution Attorneys said Ritchie changed during his more than two decades behind bars and had shown remorse. In court as a young man, Ritchie smiled at Horen and laughed as the verdict was read. He told a parole board he deeply regretted his actions, especially how he acted with Toney's widow. 'I wish I could go back to the day in court, because that man's wife deserved to say everything she needed to say to me, and that punk kid should have just kept his mouth shut and let her say whatever she needed to say,' Ritchie said. Ritchie, who was also a father, spent his last days getting visits from friends and family. 'I've ruined my life and other people's lives, and I'm so sorry for that night,' he told the parole board earlier this month. 'You can't take back what you did.'
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Benjamin Ritchie's last meal, final words before execution in Beech Grove officer's murder
In the early morning hours of May 20, Indiana executed Benjamin Ritchie via lethal injection. He was sentenced to death more than two decades ago for the murder of William Toney, a Beech Grove police officer. The execution began just after 12:01 a.m. at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. Ritchie was declared dead at 12:46 a.m., according to the Indiana Department of Corrections. His last meal was the Tour of Italy from Olive Garden. "I love my family, my friends, and all the support I've gotten,' Ritchie said in his last words. 'I hope they all find peace." In the months before his death, Ritchie filed a slew of appeals seeking to halt the execution. His legal team argued that defense attorneys who represented Ritchie in his 2002 trial failed to introduce his diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, which the jury could have considered a mitigating factor during sentencing. Late on May 19, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to grant a stay of Ritchie's execution. In a statement released hours after Ritchie's death, his attorney described the execution as "the result of prioritizing finality over fairness." "We continue to believe, as did half of the Indiana Supreme Court, that Ben's execution was inappropriate. Indiana executed a man with profound brain damage and developmental disabilities," public defender Mark Koselke said in a statement. Bill Toney: Indiana executes Benjamin Ritchie for young police officer's murder. Widow honors victim. Ritchie's is the second execution after Indiana's $900,000 purchase of pentobarbital in 2024 made the death penalty possible for the first time in 15 years. Joseph Corcoran, the first man executed since 2009, died on Dec. 18, 2024. "While there is no peace in the execution, there is comfort in the realization that society has kept its promise to the men and women of law enforcement to hold those accountable for their reckless choices and damaging actions, so that those still serving find strength knowing that their service is not in vain," a statement from Beech Grove police chief Michael Maurice read in part. Ryan Murphy is the communities reporter for IndyStar. She can be reached at rhmurphy@ This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana executes Beech Grove officer William Toney's killer
Indianapolis Star
20-05-2025
- Indianapolis Star
Benjamin Ritchie's last meal, final words before execution in Beech Grove officer's murder
In the early morning hours of May 20, Indiana executed Benjamin Ritchie via lethal injection. He was sentenced to death more than two decades ago for the murder of William Toney, a Beech Grove police officer. The execution began just after 12:01 a.m. at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. Ritchie was declared dead at 12:46 a.m., according to the Indiana Department of Corrections. His last meal was the Tour of Italy from Olive Garden. "I love my family, my friends, and all the support I've gotten,' Ritchie said in his last words. 'I hope they all find peace." In the months before his death, Ritchie filed a slew of appeals seeking to halt the execution. His legal team argued that defense attorneys who represented Ritchie in his 2002 trial failed to introduce his diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, which the jury could have considered a mitigating factor during sentencing. Late on May 19, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to grant a stay of Ritchie's execution. In a statement released hours after Ritchie's death, his attorney described the execution as "the result of prioritizing finality over fairness." "We continue to believe, as did half of the Indiana Supreme Court, that Ben's execution was inappropriate. Indiana executed a man with profound brain damage and developmental disabilities," public defender Mark Koselke said in a statement. Bill Toney: Indiana executes Benjamin Ritchie for young police officer's murder. Widow honors victim. Ritchie's is the second execution after Indiana's $900,000 purchase of pentobarbital in 2024 made the death penalty possible for the first time in 15 years. Joseph Corcoran, the first man executed since 2009, died on Dec. 18, 2024. "While there is no peace in the execution, there is comfort in the realization that society has kept its promise to the men and women of law enforcement to hold those accountable for their reckless choices and damaging actions, so that those still serving find strength knowing that their service is not in vain," a statement from Beech Grove police chief Michael Maurice read in part.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Indiana executes man convicted of fatal cop shooting in 2000
May 20 (UPI) -- The State of Indiana executed a 45-year-old man on Tuesday for the 2000 murder of a police officer, making him the 17th person to have their death sentence carried out in the United States this year. Benjamin Donnie Ritchie was executed by lethal injection, with the execution process starting at about 12 a.m. DCT Tuesday. He was pronounced dead at 12:46 a.m., the Indiana Department of Corrections said in a statement. "I love my family, my friends and all the support I've gotten," Ritchie said in his last words. "I hope they all find peace." Prison officials said his last meal was the Tour of Italy from Olive Garden. Ritchie was sentenced to death in 2002 for the fatal shooting of Beech Grove Police officer William "Bill" Toney two years earlier. His execution was carried out following a Monday night Supreme Court denial of an 11-hour request for a stay of execution. Attorney General Todd Rokita of Indiana said in a statement shortly after Ritchie was confirmed dead that "justice was done to honor officer Toney's sacrifice for his community." "We have reaffirmed our commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting our communities," he said. "Let this serve as a message to those who would harm our men and women in law enforcement." According to court documents, Ritchie fatally shot Toney following a police chase on Sept. 29, 2000. Ritchie and two accomplices had stolen a van from a gas station in Beech Grove, located just southeast of Indianapolis. The van was reported stolen and was spotted later that night by a police patrol, which pursued the vehicle. Amid the chase, the van pulled into a residential yard, where Ritchie and another occupant of the vehicle fled on foot, prompting Toney to pursue Ritchie. Ritchie turned and fired four shots at Toney, who died at the scene. Ritchie, who was on probation at the time of the crime for a 1998 burglary, was convicted of murder by a jury and sentenced to death. It was the first execution in Indiana this year and the first in the state since Indiana killed Joseph Corcoran in December, which was Indiana's first execution in 15 years. There have been 16 executions in the United States so far this year, with the 17th scheduled for later Tuesday. In Texas, death row inmate Matthew Johnson is set to die by lethal injection.
