On Tuesday, November 11, 2025, FOX19 reported that Hamilton County prosecutors have requested that a judge recuse himself from a murder case, citing the “interest of justice” and to prevent any perceived bias.
The request was made in the case of Kameron Scott, 31, of Kennedy Heights, who is charged with the 2021 murder of Ryan Casey, 27, also of Kennedy Heights. Judge Alan Triggs of the Hamilton County Common Pleas Court had already recused himself from Scott’s case on October 28, after plea negotiations failed and his bench trial was about to commence.
Scott and Corey Ringer, 34, of Pleasant Ridge, were indicted together in 2022 for the September 3, 2021, shooting death of Casey. Prosecutors have described the shooting as a targeted attack that occurred at an apartment on Northdale Place. Casey was pronounced dead at the scene, leaving behind a four-year-old son.
Despite recusing himself from Scott’s case, Judge Triggs is still overseeing Ringer’s murder case, prompting the prosecutors’ motion arguing that the judge’s involvement in one case but not the other is untenable due to the shared set of facts. A hearing has been scheduled for November 17, where the state and Ringer’s defense will present arguments for and against the state’s recusal motion. Judge Triggs stated he has not yet reviewed the state’s motion, awaiting the defense’s response to ensure fairness.
Judge Triggs cited an unspecified “conflict” that arose in his chambers before Scott’s bench trial as the reason for his recusal from that case, clarifying that it was unrelated to any remarks made by the victim’s family in court. Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich has declined to comment on the matter.
This recusal request marks the latest dispute between prosecutors and Judge Triggs. Earlier in the fall, prosecutors appealed what they alleged was an illegal order by the judge to review the grand jury transcript in a Downtown brawl case at the request of one of the suspects’ attorneys, Clyde Bennett II. Judge Triggs defended his actions, asserting his right to review the transcript, although he claimed it would remain private.
The victim’s family has expressed frustration with the delays in the case. Prosecutors cited comments made by Judge Triggs, noting his concerns about potential complaints from either side due to past events and feeling threatened by the victim’s family’s public expression of frustration with the court system. The family’s representative had indicated a willingness to appeal to the Supreme Court to achieve justice, which Judge Triggs interpreted as a threat, leading to his initial recusal from Scott’s case.
Ringer’s case was separated from Scott’s following a September 2 motion by Ringer’s defense, citing antagonistic defenses. The defense argued that Scott’s attorneys might implicate Ringer, particularly if Scott did not testify, preventing Ringer’s attorneys from cross-examining his accuser. Ringer’s trial is now scheduled for February 23 of the following year, with Bennett now representing him.
The plea deal that was rejected in Scott’s case involved a proposed sentence of six to ten years, which prosecutors deemed insufficient, seeking a minimum of 10 years with the Casey family’s approval. Scott now faces a federal gun charge for possessing a weapon as a convicted felon, announced as part of a crackdown on Cincinnati’s gun violence.
Both Ringer and Scott also face charges in a second shooting that occurred on the same day as Casey’s murder. Both men were prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony drug trafficking convictions.
Source: FOX19
