Man Accused of Stabbing Martinsburg Officer Pleads Insanity
By: Ciara Brown
Updated: March 22, 2013
MARTINSBURG, WV- Berkeley County court officials say a man accused of attempting to stab a police officer with a railroad spike last year plead not guilty by reason of insanity on Thursday.
Douglas Butler, 45, was charged with one count of attempted malicious assault, and was committed to a psychiatric hospital for three years in Weston, W.Va., by 23rd Judicial Circuit Judge John C. Yoder.
Butler was shot by a Martinsburg police officer on March 2012 after he walked toward the officer with a railroad spike in his right hand in a stabbing position, according to court documents.
Butler's hospital sentence could be expended beyond three years of confinement through a separate civil action if it's determined he's a danger to himself or others, according to Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney Pamela Games-Neely.
Games-Neely says Butler was deemed competent, however at the time of the crime his mental illness prevented him from seeing the wrongfulness of his actions. Games-Neely says the state of West Virginia mandates this type of sentence for these particular cases. Its findings are based on experts in the field.
Butler will be reviewed periodically during his three year time period at the psychiatric hospital said Games-Neely. Under this sentence Butler will have more supervision based on his mental condition.
Douglas Butler, 45, was charged with one count of attempted malicious assault, and was committed to a psychiatric hospital for three years in Weston, W.Va., by 23rd Judicial Circuit Judge John C. Yoder.
Butler was shot by a Martinsburg police officer on March 2012 after he walked toward the officer with a railroad spike in his right hand in a stabbing position, according to court documents.
Butler's hospital sentence could be expended beyond three years of confinement through a separate civil action if it's determined he's a danger to himself or others, according to Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney Pamela Games-Neely.
Games-Neely says Butler was deemed competent, however at the time of the crime his mental illness prevented him from seeing the wrongfulness of his actions. Games-Neely says the state of West Virginia mandates this type of sentence for these particular cases. Its findings are based on experts in the field.
Butler will be reviewed periodically during his three year time period at the psychiatric hospital said Games-Neely. Under this sentence Butler will have more supervision based on his mental condition.
