February 05, 2020

S2 Ep22: That's So Cincinnati: 'Mad Hitchhiker,' calling ICE, scuba diving in the Ohio River

55 minutes

Some say long-time Hamilton County trial Judge Robert Ruehlman is controversial.

There's no doubt he's tough – and can be tough-talking from the bench.

Ruehlman has been in the news a lot in the past year, notably for his public lambasting of Cincinnati City Council's so-called "Gang of Five" Democrats and for not hesitating to call ICE on suspected illegal immigrants.

But there's also a human side to the West Side Republican. He showed that in an in-depth interview this week on The Enquirer's That's So Cincinnati podcast.

Specifically, Ruehlman went into details about how the case of early 1980s serial killer Michael Beuke has affected him. Ruehlman was the prosecutor on the case of the so-called "Mad Hitchhiker." Beuke, who was from West Price Hill, had gone on a nearly monthlong shooting spree across Greater Cincinnati in 1983. He committed his crimes after being picked up as a hitchhiker.

Beuke was convicted that year for murdering one man and also found guilty for the attempted slayings of two other men. He was sentenced to the death penalty by then-Judge Norbert Nadel. The state executed Beuke in 2010.

Here are some samples of Ruehlman's podcast interview reflecting on Beuke:

Ruehlman said Bueke's life is example of the dangers of bullying. The case made Ruehlman impress upon his seven children to never bully. "Everybody made fun of him because he was kind of funny looking. He was kind of frail. They called him 'Pukey Beuke'. And then one day he just decided he was gonna start killing people. ... You feel sorry for him, but he has a brutal killer."

Ruehlman called the Lucasville prison several times on the day Beuke was executed by lethal injection. Ruehlman, who became a judge in the late 1980s, said he kept getting reports that Beuke was still talking even after receiving the injection. "I was kind of nervous because, believe it or not, just from a religious point of view, I'd never been in favor of the death penalty. But I believe in following the law as a judge. Killing somebody? Yeah. I was involved in his execution. It was that the first person that I was (involved with in a death penalty case). It was hard, although he deserved it.

Ruehlman also addresses why he calls ICE. And he talks about life away from the bench, including his decadeslong passion for scuba diving and spearfishing. He regularly dives off Key West and in the Ohio River. Yes, the Ohio River. And you won't believe some of the things he's found at the bottom of the big muddy.

Click the Audioboom link above to listen for free. Or subscribe and listen for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and most other listening platforms.

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