9. Judge Tom Ryan
Judge Tom Ryan presided over Candy Montgomery’s trial and made key rulings throughout the proceedings.
Judge Tom Ryan was the man wielding the gavel in McKinney, and he was known for running a seriously tight ship. With the media breathing down everyone’s necks, Ryan slapped a strict gag order on the case and demanded absolute order. He refused to put up with any grandstanding, famously holding Candy’s defense attorney, Don Crowder, in contempt of court twice to keep the proceedings on track.
Ryan made the pivotal calls that ultimately shaped the trial’s outcome. Most notably, he allowed the defense to bring in the controversial hypnosis and dissociation testimony. He also had to significantly beef up courthouse security to keep things running smoothly after receiving threats.
Public opinion on the judge was pretty split. While some respected how he shielded the trial from becoming a total media spectacle, critics argued that his rulings—specifically excluding certain evidence from the prosecution—heavily favored the defense and paved the way for the quick not-guilty verdict.
Despite the heavy backlash, Ryan maintained strict due process under insane public pressure. As portrayed in HBO’s Love & Death, he is remembered as the steadfast judge who kept the wheels on the wagon while the rest of Texas watched.
