Teen’s confession of rape and murder will not be used in trial

Teen’s confession of rape and murder will not be used in trial

The confession of a 14-year-old who raped and murder his 24-year-old math teacher has been found invalid.

Phillip Chism’s confession that he raped and murdered his math teacher cannot be used as evidence against him. The Danvers High School teacher Colleen Ritzer was 24 years old.

Chism’s lawyers argue that the 14-year-old was coerced into testifying against himself, an allegation the prosecution denies.

In a 48-page decision, Salem Superior Court Judge David Lowy concludes that Chism willingly spoke with police upon his arrest in Topsfield on the night of the killing. He calmly answered questions and described what happened.

“She insulted me,” said Chism when asked why he did it. The boy went on to explain how he cut the victim’s throat with a box cutter, describing it as “kind of like a dragon’s kiss” and explaining how the wound spilled “more than a lot of blood.”

These statements were given willingly and will be used in the trial.

However, Chism lost his calm demeanor when he was moved to the Danvers police station and was interrogated in his mother’s presence. His mother, Diana, was there to explain the Miranda rights to her son and advise him on whether or not he should waive them. Police report that at this point, Chism became hostile.

“It is clear that the defendant wanted to talk to the police without his mother present in the room,” wrote Lowy. “It is also clear that he had no intention of talking while his mother was in the room.”

And yet the police officers drew a confession out of him. Chism’s statements given at the Danvers police station have therefore been deemed invalid.

The evidence seized from Chism’s pockets and backpack while at Danvers is considered valid evidence. This includes the box cutter (which was still bloody), Ritzer’s ID and credit cards, and a pair of women’s underwear.

A surveillance video shows that on October 22, 2013, Chism followed Ritzer into a school bathroom. He was wearing gloves and a hood. Some time later, he walked out of the bathroom, alone. Chism was then seen dragging a recycling barrel through the school and outside.

Ritzer’s body was found in the nearby woods. She was naked from the waist down and her throat was slit. A note found near the body read “I hate you all.” The autopsy shows that the young woman was sexually assaulted with a stick.

Chism was picked up by the Topsfield police while walking on a nearby highway. He had gone to the movies after killing Ritzer, using her credit card to buy a ticket and fast food.

The trial is scheduled to begin this fall.

Be social, please share!

Facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *