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Land sentenced to 8 concurrent years

Friday, December 17, 2010
BY JAMIE BARRAND Editor

GREENCASTLE -- A Greencastle man convicted of battering his mother was sentenced in Putnam County Circuit Court Thursday to eight years in jail.

Seth Land, 23, was convicted of felony aggravated battery. His Putnam County sentence will run concurrently with a Wayne County sentence imposed on Nov. 23. In that case, which began in April 2007, Land was convicted of Class B felonies aggravated battery and escape and Class D felony battery. Land received an eight-year sentence in that case with no time suspended and credit for 228 actual days.

Putnam County Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter said Land pled "guilty, but mentally ill" to the Putnam County charge.

Land was arrested in Putnam County on May 18, 2009. On May 15, 2009, Land attacked his mother, Sharon Land, at her home, beating her so badly that she was hospitalized. Sharon Land suffered various injuries as a result of the attack, including the loss of an eye.

Police reports said Land, who has suffered from a variety of mental illnesses including schizopherenia, admitted to police that he and his mother had gotten into a fight.

At the scene of the incident, Land identified himself to police as "Adolph Hitler," court records said. He also told officers that an "evil spirit" had entered his body.

Sharon Land was taken to Putnam County Hospital, but was later transferred to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, where she underwent surgery.

She told police that she had been in bed when her son attacked her, and that he had not used any weapons in the attack other than his bare hands.

A witness to the incident told police that Land had been off his medication for a couple of months.

After his arrest, Land, who was exhibiting erratic behavior, was sent to the Wabash Correctional Facility.

Land could have been sentenced to a maximum of 20 years. Originally, he was charged with two counts of Class B felony aggravated battery. His bond was set at $100,000 cash only, and he has been in jail since his arrest.

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  • a rubber room for life would be to lax of a sentence for this psycho, this things he did to his mom, charlie manson is a saint compared to him.

    -- Posted by tru story on Fri, Dec 17, 2010, at 8:27 AM

  • It is true that he did grave damage but there needs to be a safety net so mentally ill people can get their meds. I don't personally know this man so I cannot judge his character. I heard his mother speak publicly and her anger seemed to be directed at why there were no resources to pay for the medication and treatment that he needed. Having schizophrenia is not a choice that he made. We are penny wise and pound foolish when we are more willing to pay to keep people in prison when often medication could have prevented tragedies like this and cost much less in both money and misery. It is a sad truth that the largest institution to house the mentally ill is our prison system.

    -- Posted by marigold on Fri, Dec 17, 2010, at 9:37 AM

  • Resources can be in place for people to get their meds BUT you can't make people take them if they don't want to. All to often you hear that people go off of the meds because they don't think they need them.

    -- Posted by floyd'srangerriders on Fri, Dec 17, 2010, at 1:22 PM

  • I have known Seth since he was a little boy This make me so sad. I feel sorry for his family, his friends and most of all him. When I look at this picture I can't help but cry for the funny, smart, talented individual that he was. I hope they can do something to help him. If they can't, this sentence is way too short.

    -- Posted by prayforall on Fri, Dec 17, 2010, at 3:18 PM

  • Time to reopen Central State.

    -- Posted by Clovertucky on Fri, Dec 17, 2010, at 10:10 PM

  • floyd'srangerriders, you are right that you can't always make people take their meds and some do not want to take them. Often with mental illness, the person has a lack of insight and most psych meds have negative side effects. For someone who has a history of violence, sometimes the court can mandate that they take their meds. There are are long acting injectable meds that can be given by a nurse or doctor and last for weeks. I don't know the solution for all of the problems but I do know for most, it is more cost effective to treat someone than jail them. Of course, some people with mental illness know what they are doing and do belong in prison. Charles Manson was (is) mentally ill but did know what he was doing and will never be safe to release. He should die in prison. Medications may help him but will never make something other than a psychopathic murderer. A cowardly one at that because he manipulated others to do his dirty work. This kid does not make Manson look like a saint.

    -- Posted by marigold on Fri, Dec 17, 2010, at 10:40 PM

  • This nation has resources for the poor, uneducated, elderly, and truly needy flowing like water through a sieve. Only problem is a great portion of it is taken by those who don't need it (though they may legally qualify for it) bureaucracy, fraud, and illegals. The reformation was started last month. Let's finish it and let this Nation stand on it's feet once again.

    -- Posted by exhoosier2 on Sat, Dec 18, 2010, at 3:45 PM

  • I knew Seth,well when he was on his medication.

    He was smart, sweet and so funny.

    Not a threat to anyone.

    I think even his mother would testify to that.

    I am not positive that jail will be a good place for him...

    I think that he should be sent somewhere for extensive treatment.

    Though I do feel for his mother, I feel for him as well... another misguided soul lost to the corrupt system.

    -- Posted by BlackBarbie22 on Tue, Dec 21, 2010, at 11:02 AM
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