St. John’s gunman to spend 3 months at psychiatric center:
St. John’s gunman Omesh Hiraman has been ordered to spend 90 days in a New York psychiatric facility. At the end of the 90 days, the state will decide on whether or not he should be committed indefinitely.
Queens student found incompetent for gun trial:
Omesh Hiraman, the St. John’s student who brought a loaded single shot rifle on to campus, was ruled incompetent to stand trial.
A Queens Criminal Court judge ordered Omesh Hiraman on Monday to be held at a state psychiatric facility. If convicted, he would have faced up to a year in jail.
No word yet on how long his stay there will be. Hopefully, he’ll get the help that he needs.
Students Strap On Empty Holsters to Protest Gun Restrictions on Campus:
College students across the country have been strapping empty holsters around their waists this week to protest laws that prohibit concealed weapons on campus, citing concerns over campus shootings.
“People who would otherwise be able to defend themselves are left defenseless when on campus,” said Ethan Bratt, a graduate student wearing an empty holster this week on the campus of Seattle Pacific University.
Yeah, that’s a great idea Honcho. So instead of one gunman firing, we can have several thereby more than likely increasing the original body count.
I’m all for 2nd amendment rights but you campus tough guys call me back after you’ve had military or law enforcement training on how to use your toys.
ST. JOHN’S RIFLEMAN UNFIT FOR TRIAL: SHRINK:
A court-ordered psychiatric report is stating that Omesh Hiraman is not mentally competent to stand trial. The report was made by a psychiatrist from Kings County Hospital in New York and he had this to say…
“He hears voices, and he was responding to those voices. He’s suicidal and cannot assist in his own defense,” the source quoted the report as saying.
For once I don’t think this is a BS defense. If the court agrees with the report Hiraman could spend the rest of his life in a mental institution which at this point would probably be the best thing for him.
Arrested St. John’s Student Dreamed of Navy:
Before I get to the headline police are saying that the single shot-gun carried by Omesh Hiraman on to the St. John’s campus was loaded and ready to fire.
Now on to the headline. Hiraman’s lawyer, the amusing Anthony Colleluori, has added another part to the story of why Hiraman brought the gun to campus.
“My client is suffering badly from health issues — both mental and physical,” Mr. Colleluori said.
“His big dream was to join the Navy and become an astronaut, and his dream was crushed,” he added.
Mr. Hiraman has suffered from scoliosis since childhood, the lawyer said, which forced him to drop his plan to enter the Navy. He then became depressed, left Cornell University, and was diagnosed with schizophrenia, Mr. Colleluori said. After a year off, Mr. Hiraman was trying to restart his academic career at St. John’s this fall.
“The pain, I don’t think he was up for it,” Mr. Colleluori said, adding about his purchase of a gun last week: “My thinking on that is it was a protective action, but I can’t rule out suicide.”
Ok, for those keeping score we’ve had schizophrenia, unmedicated schizophrenia, bad reaction to pain meds, 9/11, and now broken dreams of becoming an astronaut as possible reasons that Mr. Colleluori has given for the reason Hiraman took the gun on campus.
As far as going for the suicide defense I’m not buying it. Granted it was a single shot-gun but then why wear a mask as well?
I really want to give Omesh Hiraman the benefit of the doubt. I do believe he was legitimately mentally ill. But the more his lawyer speaks the more I fear for Hiraman’s well-being.
Lawyer: 9/11, mental illness affected St. John’s student:
This may just be the lowest thing a lawyer has ever tried in the 7-year-history of this website.
The lawyer for St. John’s gunman Omesh Hiraman is claiming that 9/11 caused Hiraman’s schizophrenia which caused him to take a gun onto the St. John’s campus.
Moments before the Sept. 11 terror attack, Omesh Hiraman and his classmates at nearby Stuyvesant High School gathered outside to take their senior class pictures, his lawyer said Thursday.
The subsequent mayhem, with Hiraman running north for two miles until he was lost, sent him on a downward spiral from which he’s never recovered — an argument likely to be made in court now that he has been accused of carrying a loaded rifle onto the campus of St. John’s University.
“It’s 9/11 aftermath,” said his lawyer, Anthony Colleluori, of Woodbury. “He changed after 9/11 and went downhill. It’s not Columbine. This is not Virginia Tech. This is something that goes on every day on the streets of America, someone who is mentally ill and needs help.”
This bottom feeder is not only disrespecting the victims of 9/11 he’s also disrespecting his client. If he thinks a 9/11 defense is going to fly with a New York City jury he’s dreamin’.
I’m actually a little sympathetic towards Hiraman. So far it sounds like he may have had legitimate mental and medical problems. His lawyer would do better if he used that as a defense instead of pulling the 9/11 card.
Hiraman’s family seems like they care about him an awful lot. If they care that much they may want to look into getting him new representation.
Campus Suspect Showed No Warnings of Violence:
According to the NY Times article St. John’s gunman Omesh Hiraman showed no previous signs of wanting to commit violence. However, he was rather eager to procure a firearm.
One thing Mr. Hiraman may have signaled was his intention to acquire a gun, if not to use it. In June — several weeks before his back surgery — he walked unannounced into a lawyer’s office in Jackson Heights, introduced himself as a student doing research on gun control, and asked what procedures he must follow to obtain a gun.
Hiraman, later on, bought the single shot .50-caliber “black powder” rifle that he was eventually arrested with without a permit. Could someone with a better knowledge of firearms than me give me the lowdown on this gun?
His lawyer seems to be inferring that his pain meds from his back surgery may have interfered with his psych meds for schizophrenia…
Mr. Hiraman’s mental condition was aggravated in recent weeks after he had back surgery, Mr. Colleluori said. In an adverse reaction to pain medication, he said, Mr. Hiraman vomited repeatedly, and had difficulty digesting the medication that he needs to control the symptoms of his mental illness.
“I believe he has been undermedicated for the schizophrenia,” said Mr. Colleluori, who was joined at the news conference by Mr. Hiraman’s parents, Pat and Vejai Hiraman.
The surgery was a month ago and he bought the gun a week ago so that’s not out of the realm of possibility. Maybe some of the blogging doctors out there can give us an opinion.
The one thing that gets me is that he contacted the lawyer back in June. Was he off his meds then? That remains to be seen. But for right now I’m reeling back my opinion that he was crazy and should have been locked up for now.
Parents, Neighbors Rush To Defense Of SJU Suspect:
The family and neighbors of Omesh Hiraman, the alleged St. John’s gunman, are now trying to explain what led to what they say was out of character for Hiraman.
The parents of the alleged gunman left the 107th Precinct stationhouse in earlier Wednesday evening and pleaded for understanding for their son, who they say is sick and reacting poorly to medication.
“We believe this is a misunderstanding,” father Pat Hiraman said. “Our son has always been a good boy and has never been in any sort of trouble. He would never harm anyone.”
According to police and witnesses, he was wearing a rubber Halloween mask at the time. His lawyer says doctors recently operated on Omesh for scoliosis. He was said to be in serious trouble with his pain medication.
“He’s lost over 35 pounds since the surgery a month ago and he’s been throwing up the meds a lot,” attorney Anthony Collelouri said. “He’s been throwing up actually all food, so it is possible he had a reaction to the meds, absolutely. And that’s one of the things I’ll be looking into.
“I think he is still confused right now.”
I’ve never heard of a bad reaction to pain meds that makes someone go postal. I’m not saying it’s not possible just unlikely.
Student Arrested For Carrying Gun On St. John’s Campus:
A possible Virginia Tech or more likely a possible University of Texas was averted today at St. John’s University in New York.
22-year-old Omesh Hiraman was apprehended by a public safety officer and a police cadet. Hiraman was in possession of a 50-caliber Wolf rifle and allegedly had a mask in possession as well.
Local news sources are reporting that Hiraman is of Guyanese descent and has a history of mental health problems.
There’s a shock. Another crazy person with a gun. Thank God for the police cadet…
The cadet, Christopher Benson, 21, says he followed Hiraman to a nearby building, where he later helped police restrain him. Benson says Hiraman looked suspicious from the start.
“I always think about what they tell always me, stay back observe, make as many observations as you can,” said Benson. “But by then he turned the corner, action needed to be taken, and I took it.”
“We are all indebted to one very observant and very brave police cadet,” said Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.
No shots were fired and no one was injured.
More on this as details are released.
Kittrell, 17, sentenced to 10 months detention:
Robin Kittrell, the 17-year-old who was arrested for bringing guns to school in order to prevent a Columbine, has been sentenced. Kittrell has been sentenced to youth boot camp for 3 to 4 months, then 3 to 6 months in a detention center. Then, when he’s released, he’ll get a year on intensive probation, followed by nine years of regular probation.
Now, this is an actual example of where a kid needs help and not too much jail time. His intention was not to hurt, but to protect. He just went about it in a misguided way.
I hope at least that he’s able to get help somewhere.