Benjamin Ritchie

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/benjamin-ritchie

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Benjamin Ritchie born?May 3, 1980
2. Where was Benjamin Ritchie born?Indiana, United States (inferred)
3. What is the conviction date?August 10, 2002
4. What is the sentence date?October 15, 2002
5. Who was Benjamin Ritchie?Benjamin Ritchie was a man born on May 3, 1980, who lived in Indiana.
6. What did he do that led to his conviction?He killed a police officer named William Toney on September 29, 2000.

Capital Punishment: The legally authorized killing of someone as punishment for a crime.
Mitigation: Factors presented in court that may reduce a defendant's sentence or culpability.
Successive Post-Conviction Petition: A legal filing made after initial appeals, often requiring special permission from the court.
Cognitive Impairments: Difficulties with mental processes such as thinking, learning, and remembering.