DA's Office: 'No Evidence of Any Wrongdoing by Victim' in Murder Case

A significant detail released Monday in court should put to rest at least one element of speculation surrounding the murder of 24-year-old Danvers High math teacher Colleen Ritzer, who was allegedly killed by one of her algebra students.

“There is absolutely no evidence of any wrongdoing by the victim in this case, Ms. Ritzer,” said Assistant District Attorney David O’Sullivan.

The reason for the hearing Monday afternoon in Salem District Court was to allow attorneys for several news agencies to make their arguments to unseal certain court documents related to the case against 14-year-old Philip Chism of Danvers.

Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett’s office requested Judge Michael Lauranzano impound a search warrant and related documents not long after news of the murder was released and Chism was arraigned on a first-degree murder charge on Oct. 23.

The DA’s office said there were reasons that warranted doing so – sensitivity to the victim’s family, there were minor-aged witnesses who hadn’t testified before a grand jury yet and release of the information might threaten Chism’s right to a fair trial.

A grand jury is now reviewing the case and is expected to decide whether or not to indict Chism and move the case to superior court before a probable cause hearing scheduled for Nov. 22.

The original impoundment order was set to expire, but instead of just asking to extend it indefinitely, prosecutors said they are willing to release some of that information prior to the grand jury's decision.

Once the grand jury does conclude its review, however, O'Sullivan indicated the DA's office is willing to release all the information.

In the meantime, prosecutors submitted a redacted version of an affidavit to Lauranzano, which according to O’Sullivan, does not identify several minors who are witnesses to relevant facts of the case as well as some details about the case that haven’t been released yet.

O'Sullivan said that if the young witnesses were identified and subsequently interviewed and subject to public scrutiny, it could influence their testimony before the grand jury.

Attorney Daniel Murphy, who is representing Ritzer's family, said the family supports the latest motion from prosecutor so that they can receive information on the case from the DA's office without having to worry about learning of new details secondhand from a news outlet first.

He said that as far he knows, the family hasn't received all the related information and details on the case yet from the DA's office.

Attorney Susan Oker, a public defender serving as co-counsel for Chism, argued against releasing any of the information until after the trial concludes. She said much of that information, which she hadn't seen herself, combined with the high-profile nature of the case, could undoubtedly threaten her client's ability to get a fair trial.

Lauranzano said he would take the matter under advisement and come back with a decision likely in the next day or two.

Murphy told reporters outside the courtroom he hasn't seen the latest affidavit, but the family is obviously glad to hear prosecutors publicly state there is nothing to suggest Ritzer was at fault in the events leading to her death.

"This family needs time to grieve and they to be afforded that opportunity," he said.

"The court has the discretion to continue to protect the family's right to privacy," Murphy said. "We're simply asking that the court do that for a limited period of time so that they [the family] can receive information from the DA's office before that information is disclosed to the general public."