Thorpe pleads guilty to all counts, sanity trial set
NEVADA CITY (3/24/03) -- Scott Harlan Thorpe, 42, has pleaded guilty to killing three people in a Jan. 10, 2001 shooting rampage and a trial was set for May 6 to decide if he was sane at the time.
Thorpe pleaded guilty Thursday in Nevada County Superior Court to three counts of first degree and two counts of attempted murder, as relatives of the involved families, including his, looked on, attorneys said.
"Life without parole is the penalty. The only question is whether he will spend it in a prison or an institution," Nevada County Public Defender Tom Anderson said Monday.
Thorpe's gun spree began when he walked into the county Behavioral Health Department office on Willow Way where he had previously sought treatment and opened fire on the staff, volunteers and waiting clients. College student Laura Wilcox, 19, and caregiver Pearlie Mae Feldman, 68, were killed. Others were injured.
Thorpe made his way to a Lyons restaurant a few miles away on the old Nevada City Highway he allegedly believed people had tried to poison him. There, he shot and killed restaurant manager Michael Markle and wounded a cook.
Late that night after a frantic, daylong manhunt law enforcement officers arrested Thorpe at his Smartsville home down on the Yuba County line.
Thorpe was subsequently ruled mentally unfit for trial and committed to state facilities at Atascadero and Napa. He was returned to Nevada County last year where he was deemed fit to stand trial. He then entered pleas of not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity.
Anderson said Thorpe entered his new pleas of guilty in a courtroom packed with spectators.
"He wanted to make a statement, but he suffers from agoraphobia (a fear of crowds) and froze up," Anderson said.
The killings rocked the tiny community f Nevada City, leading to weeks of public mourning and the erection of a monument to the dead at the government center.
Perhaps, the most touching aspect of Thursday's hearing was that survivors of the dead could be seen consoling Thorpe family members, as well.
"The families have been mutually supportive, but it was also interesting to see Markle's mother going to give Thorpe's relatives a hug. It was like:'We're all victims here'," Anderson said.
Anderson estimated it will take a week to select a jury and another two weeks to present evidence for the jury to consider while deciding whether Thorpe was able to distinguish right from wrong when he pulled the trigger.
An undetermined number of psychiatric experts are expected to testify, Anderson said. Judge Carl Bryan also set a trial eadiness conference for April 7.
NEVADA CITY (3/24/03) -- Scott Harlan Thorpe, 42, has pleaded guilty to killing three people in a Jan. 10, 2001 shooting rampage and a trial was set for May 6 to decide if he was sane at the time.
Thorpe pleaded guilty Thursday in Nevada County Superior Court to three counts of first degree and two counts of attempted murder, as relatives of the involved families, including his, looked on, attorneys said.
"Life without parole is the penalty. The only question is whether he will spend it in a prison or an institution," Nevada County Public Defender Tom Anderson said Monday.
Thorpe's gun spree began when he walked into the county Behavioral Health Department office on Willow Way where he had previously sought treatment and opened fire on the staff, volunteers and waiting clients. College student Laura Wilcox, 19, and caregiver Pearlie Mae Feldman, 68, were killed. Others were injured.
Thorpe made his way to a Lyons restaurant a few miles away on the old Nevada City Highway he allegedly believed people had tried to poison him. There, he shot and killed restaurant manager Michael Markle and wounded a cook.
Late that night after a frantic, daylong manhunt law enforcement officers arrested Thorpe at his Smartsville home down on the Yuba County line.
Thorpe was subsequently ruled mentally unfit for trial and committed to state facilities at Atascadero and Napa. He was returned to Nevada County last year where he was deemed fit to stand trial. He then entered pleas of not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity.
Anderson said Thorpe entered his new pleas of guilty in a courtroom packed with spectators.
"He wanted to make a statement, but he suffers from agoraphobia (a fear of crowds) and froze up," Anderson said.
The killings rocked the tiny community f Nevada City, leading to weeks of public mourning and the erection of a monument to the dead at the government center.
Perhaps, the most touching aspect of Thursday's hearing was that survivors of the dead could be seen consoling Thorpe family members, as well.
"The families have been mutually supportive, but it was also interesting to see Markle's mother going to give Thorpe's relatives a hug. It was like:'We're all victims here'," Anderson said.
Anderson estimated it will take a week to select a jury and another two weeks to present evidence for the jury to consider while deciding whether Thorpe was able to distinguish right from wrong when he pulled the trigger.
An undetermined number of psychiatric experts are expected to testify, Anderson said. Judge Carl Bryan also set a trial eadiness conference for April 7.
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