BOSTON — A man convicted in the rape and murder of a Massachusetts high school teacher more than a decade ago when he was a teenager has learned his fate in his bid to get his convictions tossed in favor of a new trial.
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court rejected Philip Chism’s appeal in a nearly 100-page ruling issued Tuesday.
“After carefully reviewing the record, we conclude that none of the asserted errors, standing alone or cumulatively, requires a new trial, and that there is no other basis on which to disturb the jury’s verdict,” the Bay State’s highest court stated in its ruling.
Chism, of Danvers, was just 14 years of age when he strangled Colleen Ritzer, his algebra teacher, and repeatedly stabbed her with a box cutter in a Danvers High School bathroom in 2013. He then used a recycling bin to bring her body into nearby woods.
Chism’s attorneys had argued that during his first trial, the judge exluded brain-scan evidence that they said would have shown their client suffered from a psychotic disorder at the time of the brutal attack.
“There was no error. Based on brain science, social science, and common knowledge, it is well-settled that adolescents are different from adults for constitutional purposes,” the SJC wrote in its ruling.
The SJC also included statements in its ruling that the judge made during Chism’s trial, including how he “observed that the defendant ‘did not start life on third base,’ his absentee father was ‘abusive, harsh, unfaithful, and unpredictable,’ and his mother had ‘mixed success’ in providing emotional and financial support.”
However, the judge concluded that Chism’s crimes did not reflect the immaturity or impulsivity of youth and that he “carefully and deliberately prepared to kill his math teacher,” the SJC noted.
Chism was sentenced in 2016 to 40 years in prison in connection with Ritzer’s death.
The ruling means Chism will be eligible for parole until he is 54 years of age.
A charity, the Colleen Ritzer Memorial Fund, was founded after her death. The fund awards hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants and scholarships to future teachers.
Ritzer, known for always having a smile on her face, loved to teach and loved life. She graduated from Assumption College in 2011 and was a standout student at Andover High School, graduating in 2007.
At the time of her death, her family said in a statement, “We are mourning the tragic death of our amazing, beautiful daughter and sister. Everyone that knew and loved Colleen knew of her passion for teaching and how she mentored each and every one of her students.”
Read the full SCJ ruling below:
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