Man shot by cops could go home as early as Friday
AUBURN – Vince Berube will likely return to his home in Norway within days.
The 43-year-old has spent the past seven weeks at Central Maine Medical Center for the police-inflicted gunshot wounds he received after nearly attacking an officer with a hammer, then for psychiatric care at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center.
He was allowed to stay in the hospital without posting bail under the condition that he would return to court as soon as doctors decided he was ready to be discharged.
In anticipation of leaving the psychiatric unit at St. Mary’s within the next few days, he appeared Thursday in front of Justice Ellen Gorman in Androscoggin County Superior Court.
He arrived in a wheelchair with members of his family, then sat quietly as his lawyer, Thomas Goodwin, and the state prosecutor discussed bail.
“Given his medical and psychiatric condition, there is no possibility that he is going to take off or pose a threat to anyone in the community,” Goodwin said.
Gorman agreed to set bail at $25,000 in property.
According to Goodwin, Berube’s family was prepared to post the property by the end of the day, which means Berube could return to his Norway Center Road home as early as Friday.
Berube was shot at least six times by three police officers on the night of Dec. 17 after he allegedly threatened one of the officers with a hammer in the police parking yard.
According to police reports, police opened fire after Berube refused to back away from the officer.
Berube remained at CMMC for a month before being transferred to St. Mary’s.
Investigators claim he had slashed and cut himself numerous times on his wrists and chest before driving into the police compound where he began pounding on cruisers with a hammer.
His plea of not guilty by reason of insanity means he believes he cannot be held responsible for his actions because a mental disease or defect caused him to lack the capacity to understand that he was doing something wrong.
If convicted of the charges, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
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