A man that may be battling mental illness, has pled not guilty to murder via a court-appointed attorney, in regards to the shooting death of a popular defense attorney, as reported by Kentucky.com from southern Kentucky. C.I., 40, had his plea entered in Pulaski District Court on June 30.
On June 27, as defense attorney M.S., 57, was just outside his office in downtown Somerset, C.I. gunned him down. A sheriff's detective witnessed the shooting. The detective quickly acted to prevent further gunfire, and was able to handcuff C.I. Judge Jeffrey Scott Lawless has set bail for $250,000 – or double that monetary figure with property. C.I. will be placed under house arrest with electric monitoring if he is able to post bond.
During the short hearing C.I. remained fairly quiet, handcuffed to a chain that circled his waist. He appeared to be calm when answering questions put to him by Judge Lawless.
B.S., M.S.'s widow, attended the hearing with other family members and friends showing their support and interest. Several broke down in tears and left, and none spoke to reporters outside of the courtroom.
The judge set a preliminary hearing for July 16 to decide whether or not there is probably cause to waive the case to a grand jury for a possible indictment. Eddy Montgomery, the Commonwealth Attorney, had previously stated that he wanted to present the case by August to the grand jury.
Covington-based attorney Richard B. Leary has agreed to represent C.I. as many of the attorneys in the local office of the Department for Public Advocacy were friendly with M.S.
The question of C.I.'s mental competency could be of issue during some point. B.S., as well as others, have mentioned that C.I. appeared to have some kind of mental problem.
C.I. lived across the street from M.S.'s office. Oftentimes he would stop the attorney to talk to him. On the day before the shooting M.S. allegedly was stopped once again by C.I. During that conversation C.I. presented a problem he was having and asked M.S. to solve it for him. Instead, M.S. allegedly told C.I. that the problem – which has not been disclosed by the police – would be better handled by someone other than an attorney.
This verbal exchange allegedly let C.I. to grow angry with M.S., angry enough to plot his murder. Lying in wait for M.S. at just before 8 a.m., C.I. spotted his chance. As M.I. was about to enter his office C.I. shot him multiple times.
According to B.S. her husband had tried to help C.I. on several occasions. Just days before the killing M.S. had bought C.I. lunch, and before that M.S. had offered to pay for C.I. to see a doctor so that he could get back on his prescribed medication. Leary, though claiming it was a bit too early to comment on the case, offered that he would not dismiss raising the issue of C.I.'s mental competence.
