INDIANAPOLIS — On Friday, several groups will deliver thousands of petitions urging Governor Mike Braun to spare Benjamin Ritchie, who is scheduled for execution on May 20th for the murder of Beech Grove Police Officer Bill Toney in 2000.
Members of the Indiana Abolition Coalition, Death Penalty Action, and various faith leaders will gather at 11 a.m. in the Indiana State Capitol Building.
"Benjamin Ritchie can be held accountable and severely punished without executing him," stated Abraham Bonowitz, Executive Director of Death Penalty Action. "Governor Braun has until Monday night at midnight to change his mind. We urge him to show mercy by commuting Ritchie's death sentence to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole."
This comes after a push for clemency was denied following a recommendation from the Indiana Parole Board. While Ritchie’s legal team argued he should serve a life sentence due to undiagnosed fetal alcohol syndrome, the board found that his violent history and the circumstances of Officer Toney's murder did not justify clemency.
WATCH | Indiana Parole Board considers clemency for death row inmate Benjamin Ritchie
Activists have planned events throughout Indiana that will focus on prayer and reflection this weekend. Highlights include:
- Prayer Vigil: 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, at the Official Governor's Residence, 4750 N. Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN.
- Prayer Vigil: 10 p.m. on May 19, continuing until after the execution at the Governor’s Residence.
- Live Hybrid Virtual Vigil: 11 p.m. CT on May 19, organized by Death Penalty Action, featuring a multifaith panel and live updates. The vigil can be watched on platforms such as YouTube and Facebook.
The execution protest will feature "The Delaware Bell," which has been rung at previous executions in Delaware and now serves as a symbol of opposition to the death penalty. After Delaware successfully abolished capital punishment in 2016, the bell was gifted to Death Penalty Action for use in protests nationwide.
