Fit But Dead: Prosecutors Argue in Court that Defendant is Fit for Trial a Month After He Dies

According to prosecutors, 91-year-old Ralph Ridenour was fully competent to stand trial in Colorado. The only problem was that he was dead at the time.
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The accused, it appears, had expired nearly a month before and had already been cremated.

Notably, Public Defender Steve Colvin had repeatedly objected to Mesa County District Judge Brian Flynn that there was no proof that his client was competent to stand trial after his arrest for allegedly threatening to rape a nurse and pulling her pants down and trying to keep her from escaping. Colvin, however, did not know at the time that his client was now ashes. Notably, as of today, there is still a demand for Ridenour’s appearance on April 14 — an event that would have more religious than legal significance at this point.

For the full article, click here.

1 Response to “Fit But Dead: Prosecutors Argue in Court that Defendant is Fit for Trial a Month After He Dies”


  1. 1 JR 1, March 21, 2008 at 9:07 pm

    Okay, I lost count of things wrong with this picture at about a half-dozen.

    Seriously, is this not enough to get someone hauled before a particularly unpleasant Bar Association committee?


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