PARIS – Attorneys for murderer Christian Nielsen have appealed two rulings in the case, which if overturned would allow him to withdraw his guilty pleas.

Nielsen, 32, pleaded guilty Oct. 9 to four counts of murder on the condition that he could withdraw the pleas if he won appeals of Justice Robert Crowley’s decisions that he was fit for trial and that information he gave police at the scene of the crimes was admissible in court.

Nielsen admitted to shooting four people connected to the Black Bear Bed & Breakfast in Newry over Labor Day weekend 2006. He was living there at the time and working in Bethel as a cook.

Nielsen confessed to killing James Whitehurst, 50, of Batesville, Ark., a guest at the inn, on Sept. 1, 2006, in woods near Upton; Julie Bullard, 65, the owner, on Sept. 3, 2006, in her bed; her daughter Selby Bullard, 30, of Bethel on Sept. 4, 2006 at the inn; and Selby’s friend, Cindy Beatson, 43, of Bethel, on Sept. 4, 2006, also at the inn. All four bodies were mutilated.

Nielsen was arrested at the inn hours after the last two murders, which were discovered by his father, Charles Nielsen, and step mother, Lee Graham.

Justice Robert E. Crowley sentenced Nielsen on Oct. 18 to four concurrent life terms at the Maine State Prison in Warren.

Attorney Ron Hoffman said he will argue that Trooper Dan Hanson, the first officer at the scene on Sept. 4, 2006, acknowledged that Nielsen had invoked his right to counsel. The defense had argued that Nielsen had been questioned by police without an attorney.

According to Crowley’s ruling allowing Nielsen’s statements to be used at his trial, Nielsen’s father suggested to his son that he should wait for counsel before talking to police.

Nielsen replied, “Yeah, that’s not a bad idea,” the order stated.

Hanson told Nielsen, “It is up to you,” the document said.

When Hanson discovered bodies at the scene, he told Nielsen, “I know you invoked your rights and want to speak to counsel. But I need to ask this question just for the purpose of (unintelligible). Is there any chance there is anyone here alive? I don’t want to leave somebody out there bleeding,” Crowley’s order said.

Crowley determined that Nielsen had shown a significant desire to talk to police, and that Hanson may have been unable to “precisely craft his question” due to the discovery of the bodies. He ordered that one statement Nielsen made to Hanson as to when the murders had occurred be suppressed, but ruled that the others were admissible as evidence.

Crowley also determined that Nielsen was fit to stand trial after a two-day competency hearing. Doctors testified that Nielsen showed signs of schizoid personality disorder and Asperger’s Disorder, a mild form of autism, but was not psychotic and was able to understand his case.

“It won’t be resolved probably for about a year,” Assistant Attorney General Andrew Benson said of the appeals process.

He said if the rulings are overturned, Nielsen may be returned to Riverview Psychiatric Center in Augusta, and a trial new may be scheduled.

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