Ave Maria School of Law, Crime, Drinking, Guns / Firearms, Law Schools, Murder, Violence

Ave Maria School of Law Student Accused of Attempted Murder

Law school, copious amounts of alcohol, and unrequited love are the ingredients necessary for a very dangerous cocktail, the effects of which can lead to much more than just a bad hangover. Just ask Robert Ringley, a man whom we believe to be a second-year student at the Ave Maria School of Law. Ringley was charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly threatening to kill and shooting at two of his Ave Maria Law classmates. What caused Ringley's alleged of acts violence, and what's love got to do with it? Let's take a closer look at the allegations....

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Law school, copious amounts of alcohol, and unrequited love are the ingredients necessary for a very dangerous cocktail, the effects of which can lead to much more than just a bad hangover.

Just ask Robert Christopher Ringley, a man whom we believe to be a second-year student at the Ave Maria School of Law.

Early Friday morning, Robert Ringley was charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly threatening to kill and shooting at two of his Ave Maria Law classmates.

What caused Ringley’s alleged of acts violence, and what’s love got to do with it? Let’s take a closer look at some of the allegations….

New Jersey native Robert C. Ringley is a graduate of the Catholic University of America and Don Bosco Preparatory High School (known for its great football program). Ringley stands accused of not being able to handle a break-up. After a night of drinking with his roommate, Christopher Graves, Ringley’s then-girlfriend, Samantha Morris, began to insist that their relationship was over.

It was then that the alleged drama began to unfold. The Marco Eagle has more information:

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After his roommate went to bed, Ringley retrieved a silver Taurus 9mm handgun from his room.

“Just tell me you love me. I love you,” he told Morris. He paced with the gun. “I can kill myself. I can kill you. It’s simple.”

Fearful, the woman woke the roommate to help her calm Ringley.

Although all three had been drinking earlier, Ringley was the only one still going.

He poured himself two large glasses of scotch as the other two — both fellow law students — attempted to defuse the situation.

“This always happens. I love a girl and they dump me,” Ringley told his roommate, Christopher Graves, 24.

Are drunken death threats supposed to pass for romance these days? No wonder girls are always dumping Ringley. He’s got no game.

According to the News-Press, Graves was eventually successful in taking the gun from Ringley, but later “gave it back when [Ringley] promised to calm down.” Silly law student; never trust a man with a gun who’s been double-fisting pints of scotch.

As soon as Ringley took the gun back, he began to load and unload it, taunting Morris and Graves: “I’ve got the power. With this, I’m the boss.” It was then that Ringley allegedly turned it around on his classmates (like a boss):

Ringley then forced his ex-girlfriend and his roommate to their knees on the street, the report noted. He pointed the gun at them and said he would kill them. He held the gun to Morris’ head as she cried, she told deputies.

“How does it feel?” he taunted.

When Ringley suddenly removed the magazine from the gun, the woman darted into the apartment, grabbed a phone and hid in a closet.

That’s when Ringley ordered Graves to his feet and fired several shots in the air before pointing the gun at him. Then he fired.

“I saw the big flash of the muzzle and I heard the bullet whiz by me,” Graves said, according to the arrest report.

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Morris and Graves then fled the scene and called the police. According to the arrest report compiled by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, Ringley now faces one count of attempted murder, and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Ringley is currently being held on $1 million bond. He’ll be back in court on February 6, but he might not have a lawyer. What, no Ave Maria Law friends who’ve graduated want to defend this guy?

But this wasn’t Ringley’s first time at the rodeo. According to the Collier County Clerk’s Office, in August 2010, Ringley was arrested for a misdemeanor DUI charge. He was sentenced to 12 months’ probation and 50 hours of community service. This bro certainly started his legal education with a bang.

So how does the law school intend to deal with the allegations that have been made against Ringley? The administration seems to be as confused as the Ave Maria Law students who took — and tanked — the July 2011 administration of the Florida bar exam:

[Ave Maria School of Law] spokesman John Knowles said the law school doesn’t have a policy regarding students who are arrested.

“This is not a situation we’ve encountered before,” Knowles said. “It’s in the hands of the authorities … We’re working through it in our internal process.”

“It’s a very sad situation for everyone involved, I’m sure,” he added.

A very sad situation, indeed. Ringley’s got two pending felony charges against him, which should make for an interesting case when it comes time for a review of his character and fitness to practice law. In addition, if Morris and Graves are anything like Edward DiDonato Jr. — the Villanova lacrosse star who was shot by a former Temple Law student, Gerald Ung — civil suits could soon be on their way.

We will bring you additional information on Ringley’s case as soon as we receive it. If you have information you would like to share with us — about Robert Ringley, Samantha Morris, Christopher Graves, Ave Maria School of Law, or related subjects — please feel free to email us or text us (646-820-8477). Thanks.

P.S. On the following page, we’ve reprinted Robert Ringley’s arrest report from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.

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