FARMINGTON — A former Jay man charged in the death of his girlfriend last year pleaded not criminally responsible by reason of insanity and waived a jury trial Thursday at Franklin County Superior Court. James “Ted” Sweeney, 58, is accused of murder in the July 11, 2017, killing of Wendy Douglass, 51, while she slept […]
insanity
Former Jay man expected to enter insanity plea in murder case
FARMINGTON — A former Jay man accused of killing his girlfriend in 2017 is expected to enter a plea of not criminally responsible by reason of insanity, according to a procedural court order issued Monday. James “Ted” Sweeney, 58, is charged with murder in the death of Wendy Douglass, 51, on July 11, 2017, at […]
Peru man pleads not guilty in strangulation death of mother-in-law
PARIS — A Peru man accused of strangling his mother-in-law to death during a sexual assault last October pleaded not guilty to murder charges Tuesday. The attorney for Paul Orchard, 33, entered pleas of not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity to one charge of depraved indifference murder and one charge of felony murder. […]
Judge finds Lewiston woman not criminally responsible for fire
AUBURN — A judge found a Lewiston woman who set her mattress on fire last year not criminally responsible by reason of insanity on Tuesday. Misty Cornell, 45, was committed to Riverview Psychiatric Center in Augusta under the care of the commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services. Cornell will be evaluated every […]
Increased violence at Maine’s psych hospital prompts reform
AUGUSTA — Of the 92 people in state custody who were found “not criminally responsible” for crimes, 18 have been charged with at least one count of murder. That’s more than 20 percent of the state’s so-called “NCR” population, while less than 2 percent of those serving time in Maine prisons have been convicted of […]
Maine man pleads insanity in fellow inmate’s death
ROCKLAND (AP) — A Maine man charged with murdering one fellow state prison inmate and assaulting another has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. WABI-TV reports that 42-year-old Guy Hunnewell is accused of killing 57-year-old Alan Powell in June and assaulting James Brensinger in January. He pleaded not guilty to both charges Friday, while […]