Murder Trial Jury Deliberations to Resume Tuesday

Photo Credit: 7News/whdh.com

SALEM. MA - The jury went home after hearing closing arguments and deliberating for just over three hours on Monday in the trial of Philip Chism, the Danvers teen accused of raping and murdering his math teacher at Danvers High School in 2013.

The victim, Colleen Ritzer, 24, of Andover, was a well-liked math teacher at Danvers High School.

Prosecutors said Chism, who was 14 at the time, used a box cutter to brutally stab his teacher, and then violated her.

“The only still image that matters in this case is the image of Colleen in the woods,” prosecutor Kate MacDougall said in her closing arguments, according to wcvb.com.

Chism’s trial opened with his defense lawyer stating the teen killed Colleen Ritzer.

“When Philip Chism followed Miss Ritzer into that bathroom, he was not himself. He was totally and absolutely responding to the terrible command of the hallucinations in his head,” attorney Denise Regan said during her clsoing arguments, wcvb.com reported.

Lawyers for Chism sought a mental health evaluation for him in mid-October. The judge declared the now 16-year-old Chism competent after reading a report on his ability to understand the trial proceedings and assist his attorneys.

If Chism is found not guilty by reason of insanity, according to boston.cbslocal.com, he would be sent to a psychiatric treatment facility, where he could potentially be released in the future.

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Deliberations are scheduled to resume on Tuesday.