Convicted assassin Philip Chism, who was sentenced to life in jail for the brutal rape and slay Danvers instructor Collen Ritzer, has misplaced his bid for for a brand new trial.
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court docket rejected Chism’s enchantment in a call 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 court docket concluded in its resolution.
Chism was sentenced to life in jail for the 2013 homicide of Ritzer and and is eligible for parole for 40 years. He was convicted in 2015.
“Colleen Ritzer lived a life of quiet heroism, as many teachers do,” Essex Superior Court docket Choose David Lowy instructed the court docket as he despatched Chism to jail.
Chism’s legal professionals challenged the conviction based mostly on the sentencing, which they argued amounted to a life sentence, which is unlawful below the Massachusetts Structure.
Beneath the sentencing, Chism is eligible for parole in 25 years on the homicide cost however obtained a 40-year concurrent sentence for rape and armed theft.
Ritzer’s household stated on the time that they had been devastated by the sentence, which stored Chism in DYS custody till he was 18 and made him eligible for parole after 40 years.
They stated the “law must be changed” to maintain Chism behind bars for all times.
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