MICHIGAN CITY – Just hours before convicted killer Benjamin Donnie Ritchie was put to death by lethal injection inside the walls of the Indiana State prison, a small group gathered in the prison parking lot across the street to pray for those impacted by the senseless crime and for an end to the state’s death penalty.
Nearly 20 people gathered to pray the Rosary, followed by a prayer service coordinated by the Diocese of Gary’s Office of Pro-life Activities.
This was the second execution in nearly five months at the state prison.
“We are small in number, but we are mighty,” said Father Richard Holy, director of the Pro-Life Office, referring to the turnout for the event.
“This is how the apostles first started out,” he added. “They began with a handful, and a handful changed the world. We too can, little by little, change our culture of death into a culture of life- innocent, guilty, whatever- to be protected and valued.” Ritchie was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder in 2000 of Beech Grove Police Officer Bill Toney during a chase on foot.
The execution process started shortly after midnight on May 19, and he was pronounced dead at 12:46 a.m.
Before his death, Ritchie shared his last words: “I love my family, my friends, and all the support I've gotten. I hope they all find peace.”
Ritchie’s attorneys have fought the death sentence, arguing he 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.
As Father Holy stood in the dimly lit lot looking at the prison, he described it as “silently creepy, especially at night. Not just because of what’s going to happen, but just because it is. But within those walls is a community, it might be a dysfunctional community, a community of troubled people, but it is its own community, and who’s to say Mr. Ritchie’s life does not have value within that community.”
“If we believe that life has dignity, value and is sacred, it doesn’t lose that because a person has committed a crime, even a crime that involves killing another human being, especially as Christians,” explained Father Holy. “If we don’t understand that then we haven’t read our Bibles and haven’t read the story of St Paul, aka Saul.” “Saul was a murderer. He presided over the death of Christians. If we would have applied the same standard to Saul as we’re applying tonight to Mr. Ritchie, we would have put Saul to death, and we would not have had the greatest evangelist in the history of Christianity.”
He continued,“We don’t believe in vengeful justice. We don’t believe in an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. He’ll spend the rest of his life in prison and will never be able to get out. To take his life now won’t solve anything, we have justice.”
Ritchie’s attorney, Steve Schutte, deputy to the public offender of Indiana, called the execution “a foolish, senseless, agonizing waste of time and money.”
Schutte appeared deeply moved by what he witnessed during the execution.
“Mr. Ritchie looked up at us, smiled and waved, then laid back down,” Schutte said. Ritchie’s left fist and feet flinched, eventually becoming a “very violent twitch” before he became motionless, according to Schutte. The blinds were closed soon after.
“The man we executed today, though he himself acknowledges he committed a senseless crime 25 years ago, is not the same person who committed that crime,” Schutte said. “He was in a safe and secure place where he learned how to grow and learned to make himself what he could be. He was a different man.”
Deacon Albert Burgos, of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Hammond, said the unfortunate circumstances that brought the Ritchie and Toney families together don’t lessen the value or dignity of either man.
“You have two different sides, unfortunately, and they’re both catastrophic in many ways. We’ve lost an incredible human being in police officer Toney, God rest his soul, and we have a gentleman here who made a really bad decision. Whether we choose to forgive him or not, it’s up to God to judge him,” Burgos said. “There has to be forgiveness, mercy, and love in this world. Two wrongs don’t make a right.”
While voices were mostly silenced near the time of the execution, there was a stark contrast of sounds that broke the silence of the night – a bell, from Death Penalty Action, tolled for two minutes while a stereo from across the street blared out the musical group Queen’s song “Another One Bites the Dust.”
A group made up mostly of law enforcement officers also gathered in another section of the parking lot. After midnight, the group held blue glow sticks in support of the Toney family and the execution of Ritchie.
Father Holy shared the group’s strong support and respect for law enforcement, reiterated that the victims can not be forgotten and offered condolences to the family. “To Officer Toney’s wife, children, and family, we’re so sorry that they lost a loved one,” he said. “We pray continually for the families of police officers who have given their lives in the line of duty. Our prayers tonight included them and all those who have lost a loved one to violent and harmful acts. It doesn’t mean we can’t have room in our hearts for both the victim, the victim’s family, and the perpetrator.”
Deacon Frank Zolvinski, of Holy Family Parish in LaPorte, said the prayer service was an opportunity to promote a culture of peace.
“We’re called to put our money where our mouth is,” he said. “Our faith tells us we should be concerned about life- those who are victims of abuse and violence… address the needs of the poor, those who are left out, those who are on death row- to create a more just society.”
“As deacons, or as Christians, we’re called to live the Gospel, and it’s not easy to do.”
Caption: Part of the nearly 20 taking part in the rosary/prayer vigil pray the rosary on the eve of the execution of Benjamin Donnie Ritchie at Indiana State Prison. (Deacon Bob Wellinski photo)
