Former Texas judge questions murder suspect over satanism, receives public reprimand
The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct has determined that a former justice of the peace in Shelby County, Texas, should be publicly reprimanded for “failing to comply with the law nor maintain professional competence in the law.” Image from Shutterstock.
A former East Texas judge has received a public reprimand after speaking to a murder suspect about his alleged affiliation with satanism without his attorney’s permission.
In November 2022, Joshua Ritter, then a justice of the peace in Shelby County, Texas, took a personal interest in Ethan Myers, who was arrested in connection with a murder in which the victim’s body was partially dismembered. According to the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct, Myers “was rumored to be a member of a satanic worshipping group, and he stated the victim had asked to be sacrificed.”
In an Aug. 2 public reprimand, the commission said Ritter went to the jail Nov. 28, 2022, and asked to speak to Myers in the processing room. In the presence of jailers, and with video recording, Ritter asked Myers about his religious affiliation. He also asked Myers whether and where he attended church.
Even though Myers informed Ritter that he had an attorney, Ritter later testified under oath that he continued to talk with the murder suspect, the commission said. However, Ritter also later told the commission that he had ended the conversation after Myers mentioned his attorney.
Craig Fletcher, Myers’ attorney, learned of this conversation after Myers told his mother during a phone call that he had been visited in jail by a justice of the peace who asked him questions about his religious affiliation, the commission said. Karren Price, the district attorney for Shelby County, Texas, also learned of this conversation and questioned Ritter about its nature. When Ritter confirmed that he had spoken to Myers, she said he had to resign from his position, or she would file a petition to remove him from office.
On Nov. 30, 2022, Price filed the petition, and on the following day, Ritter was temporarily suspended from office. He was formally suspended after a hearing Dec. 16, 2022, and resigned from his position in March ahead of a jury trial.
The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct determined that Ritter should be publicly reprimanded for “failing to comply with the law nor maintain professional competence in the law when he questioned Myers, a defendant, without his attorney present or contacting [Myers’] attorney for permission to speak with Myers either before or after his conversation with Myers.”
The commission also said Ritter failed to comply with reporting requirements.
The Texas Lawyer, which has coverage of the case, said Ritter did not respond to requests for comment.
