Foolish Mortal
03-17-2006, 11:58 AM
I'm sure many of you recall seeing the video of this last year where this nutcase is trying to shoot at a lawyer as he tried to hide behind a tree.
LINK: Stalker sentenced. (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-031706strier_lat,0,7128522.story?coll=la-home-headlines)
Stalker Gets Life Sentence for Shooting Lawyer
By Megan Garvey, Times Staff Writer
12:05 PM PST, March 17, 2006
A lawyer who was stalked and shot five times outside a Los Angeles courthouse listened silently this morning as his attacker was sentenced to life in prison plus 25 years.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Rand S. Rubin imposed the sentence on William Strier, 66, who was distraught over a pending probate case when he shot the lawyer.
The grisly attack — with victim Gerald E. Curry trying to hide behind a tree — was caught on videotape by a TV crew attending a hearing in the murder prosecution of actor Robert Blake at the Van Nuys courthouse.
Today, Rubin ordered Strier removed from the 12th floor downtown courtroom after he tried to make a statement and became disruptive.
"I'm not interested in hearing all the problems you perceive with the trial court," Rubin told Strier. "I'm not interested in hearing all the problems you perceive with the district attorney … or how upset you are that the [news photographer] videotaped the crime instead of stopping you from shooting Mr. Curry.
"You can ramble about that to the appeals court."
A report filed today revealed that Strier committed "a similar offense" in 1969 when he shot a neighbor four times "for no apparent reason." Strier was held in jail for a month on charges of assault with intent to murder, and he was given probation and fined, according to the report.
A psychiatric evaluation concluded last year that Strier had a mental illness and was significantly clinically depressed, but was found competent to stand trial.
During the trial this year, Curry described leaving a court hearing Oct. 31, 2003, when Strier approached him on a breezeway and asked his name. When he responded, Curry recalled, he then heard "a very loud pop or bang."
Curry said he fell to all fours and scrambled to get behind the tree, where he and the accused gunman engaged in a bizarre game of cat and mouse.
Curry has mostly recovered from bullet wounds to the forearm, neck and shoulder. In a statement in court files, Curry stated that he cannot lift his right ring finger, and is plagued by pains in the back of his neck.
"He came as close to death as anyone could without being killed," the report stated of Curry. "He thinks the defendant should spend the rest of his life in prison."
Strier, of Thousand Oaks, had been charged with threatening an administrator of a trust involved in a probate case. His defense attorney claimed that he was under the influence of Demerol at the time of the shooting and was suffering from a "blackout" and a "psychotic break" when he confronted Curry.
Los Angeles County Deputy Dist. Atty. Jim Falco said Strier had never met Curry before he shot him.
LINK: Stalker sentenced. (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-031706strier_lat,0,7128522.story?coll=la-home-headlines)
Stalker Gets Life Sentence for Shooting Lawyer
By Megan Garvey, Times Staff Writer
12:05 PM PST, March 17, 2006
A lawyer who was stalked and shot five times outside a Los Angeles courthouse listened silently this morning as his attacker was sentenced to life in prison plus 25 years.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Rand S. Rubin imposed the sentence on William Strier, 66, who was distraught over a pending probate case when he shot the lawyer.
The grisly attack — with victim Gerald E. Curry trying to hide behind a tree — was caught on videotape by a TV crew attending a hearing in the murder prosecution of actor Robert Blake at the Van Nuys courthouse.
Today, Rubin ordered Strier removed from the 12th floor downtown courtroom after he tried to make a statement and became disruptive.
"I'm not interested in hearing all the problems you perceive with the trial court," Rubin told Strier. "I'm not interested in hearing all the problems you perceive with the district attorney … or how upset you are that the [news photographer] videotaped the crime instead of stopping you from shooting Mr. Curry.
"You can ramble about that to the appeals court."
A report filed today revealed that Strier committed "a similar offense" in 1969 when he shot a neighbor four times "for no apparent reason." Strier was held in jail for a month on charges of assault with intent to murder, and he was given probation and fined, according to the report.
A psychiatric evaluation concluded last year that Strier had a mental illness and was significantly clinically depressed, but was found competent to stand trial.
During the trial this year, Curry described leaving a court hearing Oct. 31, 2003, when Strier approached him on a breezeway and asked his name. When he responded, Curry recalled, he then heard "a very loud pop or bang."
Curry said he fell to all fours and scrambled to get behind the tree, where he and the accused gunman engaged in a bizarre game of cat and mouse.
Curry has mostly recovered from bullet wounds to the forearm, neck and shoulder. In a statement in court files, Curry stated that he cannot lift his right ring finger, and is plagued by pains in the back of his neck.
"He came as close to death as anyone could without being killed," the report stated of Curry. "He thinks the defendant should spend the rest of his life in prison."
Strier, of Thousand Oaks, had been charged with threatening an administrator of a trust involved in a probate case. His defense attorney claimed that he was under the influence of Demerol at the time of the shooting and was suffering from a "blackout" and a "psychotic break" when he confronted Curry.
Los Angeles County Deputy Dist. Atty. Jim Falco said Strier had never met Curry before he shot him.