Indiana
Indiana death row inmate appeals to U.S. Supreme Court as scheduled execution date nears
(WPTA) – A man on Indiana’s death row for killing a Beech Grove police officer is appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court weeks before his scheduled execution.
The petition from Benjamin Ritchie’s lawyers comes nearly one month after the Indiana Supreme Court ordered him executed May 20.
According to the filing, the court failed to take into account Ritchie’s ineffective lawyers at trial and in other post-conviction matters.
Ritchie’s attorneys say past counsel failed to investigate evidence related to brain damage from Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, with which Ritchie has been diagnosed.
“While the jury was made aware that Ritchie’s mother drank during pregnancy, no evidence of any fetal alcohol syndromes was introduced,” the filing reads.
In a final plea for clemency, Ritchie appeared before the Indiana Parole Board on Monday, May 5.
The board will have another clemency hearing for public comment next Monday, May 12, in Indianapolis at the Indiana Government Center South Auditorium.
The board will hear testimony in favor of clemency from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and testimony opposed to clemency from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
After both hearings, the board will make a recommendation, but a final clemency decision about whether to commute Ritchie’s death sentence to life in prison without parole will ultimately be up to the governor.
There’s no timetable for the board, or Braun, to issue opinions.
Ritchie was sentenced to death in 2002 for the Sept. 29, 2000, shooting death of Ofc. Bill Toney.
Per court documents, the underlying crime began as a police pursuit of a stolen van. Toney pursued Ritchie on foot, and Ritchie ultimately fired four shots at the police officer, who did not survive the shooting.
Ritchie and six other men remain on the state’s death row at the Indiana State Prison.
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On this episode of “Week in Review,” we cover the Indiana gambling case, the Bears’ 2026 schedule release and the Bulls landing the No. 4 draft pick. We also look at Jim’s Original moving after 85 years and Chicago Fire FC’s new McDonald’s Park stadium name. Plus, Cole Kmet joins Cop on a Rooftop, a White Sox phenom goes one on one and more top stories from around Chicago.
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — More than 50 Indiana law enforcement agencies are taking to the roof to help local athletes.
Police and safety officers will be stationed around various Dunkin’ Donuts, taking up donations for the Special Olympics. People who monetarily donate will receive a coupon for a free donut. Those who donate $10 or more will receive a coupon for a free medium hot coffee.
“Supporting the Special Olympics isn’t just an event for us — it’s a commitment to people who inspire us every day,” Sergeant Wes Rowlader said. “These athletes show what determination, courage, and community truly look like. Every dollar we raise helps transform that spirit into training, competition, and lifelong confidence.”
More than 20,000 Hoosier athletes train and compete for free within the Special Olympics. To date, Cop on a Rooftop has raised more than $125,000 for Special Olympics Indiana.
The Indiana State Police will be at the Dunkin’ Donuts at 9821 Lima Road in Fort Wayne from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Friday.
A man’s family is demanding answers after he was shot by a security guard inside a hospital emergency room waiting area on Tuesday night in Gary, Indiana.
Methodist Northlake Hospital officials said, around midnight Tuesday night, its security staff responded quickly after a patient took out a gun. The hospital said he’d threatened to shoot himself or others.
The hospital commended the security guard who shot the man for “neutralizing the threat and helping ensure the safety of our patients and employees.”
Family members identified the man who was shot as Otis Brown. They said he is a kind father to a 12-year-old boy.
“Just a great person, a happy-go-lucky, always out there trying to do the right thing,” said his fiancée, Stacey Taylor.
Taylor said she was on a business trip when she got a call that Brown had been shot multiple times.
“Scared, uncertainty; you know, what story is right? You know, what happened?” she said.
After he was shot, Brown was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center for treatment.
Taylor said she had no idea why Brown went to Methodist Northlake Hospital in the first place. His family said he was trying to leave the hospital when the shooting happened, claiming that the hospital gave him his gun back after he was cleared to leave.
“We just want to get answers, just want to know what happened, particularly when people are defaming his name,” Taylor said.
She and Brown’s family hope the hospital has surveillance video footage that can help provide answers.
Gary police have not provided any details on the shooting. The Lake County Sheriff’s Department said it is investigating the shooting at the request of Gary police, but did not provide any further information.
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