People v. Ritter CA5

FACTS

In October 2012, Ritter was an inmate at the California Correctional Institute at Tehachapi. On the night of October 10, 2012, an anonymous note that stated there were weapons in the dayroom area was found in Housing Unit 3. The note also stated that the author overheard two inmates talking about attacking an officer and that they had weapons. The note identified the two inmates as a “[B]lack [man] named Kill” and a “Mexican [man] with [a] T on his face” and Correctional Officer Stewart as the officer who would be assaulted. On October 11, 2012, at approximately 12:15 a.m., Correctional Officers Anthony Hudgens and Victor Quiet assisted in a search of a dayroom at the prison. In the lower portion of a portable steam food cart, Officer Hudgens found a state-issued razor that had been modified so that two razor blades stuck out of one end and its handle was wrapped with a white cotton material. Under a television in the room, Officer Quiet found a similar instrument consisting of a handle with two razor blades attached with string to one end. On October 18, 2012, Correctional Sergeant Mike Worrell interviewed Ritter about the anonymous note that precipitated the search of the…