Richard Ricci's widow files lawsuit

The Deseret News ^ | Aug. 30,2003 | Pat Reavy

[Neenah]

The widow of the man once considered the top potential suspect in the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping is suing Salt Lake City police and the Utah Department of Corrections.

Angela Ricci

Johanna Workman, Deseret Morning News

In the civil lawsuit filed Friday in federal court, Angela Ricci says Salt Lake City police wrongfully blamed her husband, Richard Ricci, for Elizabeth's kidnapping and that the Department of Corrections ignored her husband's documented medical problems, which ultimately contributed to a fatal brain hemorrhage.

"All the focus Salt Lake City police put on Richard was done with the knowledge he was not a viable suspect," said Angela Ricci's attorney Bruce Oliver. "Richard Ricci never was a viable suspect at any point."

[Neenah]

IMO, a worthy lawsuit. To think of all the heated arguments posted on the guilt of Richard Ricci..and all of it driven by the media.

Now it is proven, as some said..He didn't do it. Good luck, Angela. Some knew this was going on, just couldn't convince anyone. The truth will out.

[Neenah]

Pinging

[freedox]

"The truth will out."

Yep.

Thanks for the ping!

[Lucy Lake]

Ping.

[Agnes Heep]

I suppose the guy was somewhat put upon, but if he hadn't been such a lowlife, and such a good suspect for a variety of reasons, or violated his parole, he wouldn't have had to worry about it.

[lakey]

:) Heard about the lawsuit last night. Only a short, poorly written article in today's newspaper - Chief Dinse is named.

They'll probably settle out of court. Nobody in Salt Lake wants to have to testify. But one of these days....

[mtbopfuyn]

Not surprised. I've wondered his detention led to his death.

[mystery-ak]

I know Ricci was no saint, but he was tried and convicted by the press and every cable news channel night after night...I hope his wife gets what she's asking for.

[lakey]

I beg to differ. Ricci was not a "good suspect." Nothing in his criminal background indicated he was a child molester.

The police were most likely hampered in their investigation initially through inadequate information from the family.

[redheadtoo]

but if he hadn't been such a lowlife, and such a good suspect for a variety of reasons

Round up the usual suspects?

[Eva]

I think that this lawsuit is totally justified and if they have any proof that the Smart family withheld information which would have exonerated or at least taken some of the suspicion off of Ricci and pointed it in another direction, I think that the family should be named as well.

I also think that Ricci's wife has allowed a respectable amount of time for the family to adjust, before filing her suit.

[Neenah]

I also think that Ricci's wife has allowed a respectable amount of time for the family to adjust, before filing her suit.

I agree, Eva, from all the press on Richard Ricci, we all learned of his past with the law. I found it hard to accept that they kept him in jail with feeble explanations, along with condemnation daily in the press by those giving press conferences, that kept him as a suspect.

Mrs. Ricci didn't stand a chance in her pleadings that he was with her that night. The rhetoric given to the press was more than she could fight.

The sad thing is that a man with a bad past wasn't allowed to be able to rebuild, and his widow was left never being able to speak well of him even after he died.....unnecessarily. Shame on those who berated him over and over and over to keep him in jail.

[trussell]

I didn't get pinged!! Please add me for future info.

Thanks.

[Neenah]

Sorry trussell, I really didn't have a list, and it has been some time since a thread was going, so I went with memory of just some people.

If I post again, I will list you. Have a good weekend !

[trussell]

Pinging, sorry for any being pinged twice.

[trussell]

Thanks. Hope your weekend is a happy occasion.

[Agnes Heep]

I beg to differ. Ricci was not a "good suspect." Nothing in his criminal background indicated he was a child molester.

Oh, but he was a fantastic suspect from the word go. Someone with a history of burglary who had worked in the Smart home, and even burglarized the place at night, taking valuables from right under the sleeping family's noses. So far as being a child molester is concerned, the general speculation (which was pretty good speculation, as far as I'm concerned, though it turned out not to be the case) was that the girl was abducted because she had caught him in the act of burglary and he took her knowing that if she identified him he'd go to jail for life as a third offender.

[Neenah]

...and thank you for posting your list.

[varina davis]

About time. Thanks for the ping.

[trussell]

"Your welcome" bump.