Wrongful Death Lawsuit Cites Book on Elizabeth Smart

One of the tragedies surrounding the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping case involved prison parolee Richard Ricci who was wrongfully accused of being involved in the crime and died in jail before his name was cleared. His wife is suing Utah police.

A book that criticized the police investigation of the kidnapping, because they focused on Ricci and ignored other leads in the case, is being cited as evidence in a lawsuit filed last month by Angela Ricci against the Salt Lake City Police Department.

The book, "In Plain Sight: The Startling Truth Behind the Elizabeth Smart Investigation," was written by Elizabeth's uncle, Tom Smart, and Lee Benson. It was highly critical of the police department's handling of the investigation.

Ricci's widow is suing the police, claiming they went after her husband to avoid allegations of incompetence and to satisfy the public's demand for results. Previously, the state Department of Corrections settled a lawsuit with Ricci for $150,000, but admitted no wrongdoing.

Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her home June 5, 2002. Because Ricci had done odd jobs at Smart home and admitted to stealing items from the home, he became the focus of the investigation. He died Aug. 30, 2002 of a cerebral hemorrhage.

Elizabeth was found March 12, 2003 with street preacher Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, who have been charged in the case.

See Also:
Book on Elizabeth Smart Kidnapping Cited in Lawsuit

Background:
The Elizabeth Smart Case