*Menu
Search
Greencastle Banner Graphic

Land attorney requests evaluation

Sunday, July 19, 2009
By JAMIE BARRAND, Editor

GREENCASTLE -- The attorney representing a Greencastle man who allegedly assaulted his mother in May has requested a psychiatric examination for his client.

James Recker filed the motion in case of Seth Land, 21, who is charged with two counts of Class B felony aggravated battery, each punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Recker has notified the court that he intends to pursue a defense of mental disease or defect in Land's case, and wants him examined to determine whether or not Land would be competent to stand trial.

According to court records, Land allegedly beat his mother, Sharon Land, on May 15 so severely that she was taken to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, where she underwent surgery.

Police reports said Sharon Land suffered injuries including a severely bruised and torn right eye socket, a swollen left eye, split lips and broken teeth.

The alleged assault took place at Sharon Land's home. Police responded to a 911 call and found her lying on her bedroom floor, court documents said. Seth Land admitted to officers at the scene that he and his mother had gotten into an altercation.

Police reports indicated Land has suffered in the past from schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.

A pretrial conference for Land was originally set for July 9, but both parties notified the court that more discovery time was necessary. Another court date has not yet been set.

Land was formally charged in Putnam County Circuit Court on May 18. He did not speak during his initial hearing.

Per the request of Putnam County Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter, Land's bond was set at $100,000 cash only.

While he was in Putnam County Jail, Land was segregated from other inmates. Because of his past erratic behavior and the amount of care he requires, Headley accommodated a request by Bookwalter to have Land sent to the Indiana Department of Correction to await his next court date.

Presently, Land also has several charges pending against him in Wayne County.

Those charges include Class B felonies battery and escape, Class D felony battery on a police officer and two charges of Class A misdemeanor resisting law enforcement. Those charges were filed in April 2007, and the case has been continued several times.

Court documents said a continuance granted on May 27 was "the last continuance that will be granted," and a jury trial in the case is set to begin on Sept. 8 in Wayne County Superior Court I.

Comments
View 2 comments
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. Please note that those who post comments on this website may do so using a screen name, which may or may not reflect a website user's actual name. Readers should be careful not to assign comments to real people who may have names similar to screen names. Refrain from obscenity in your comments, and to keep discussions civil, don't say anything in a way your grandmother would be ashamed to read.

  • Is bondsman referring to Mr. Land's booking 'photo? Does he think he is being funny? If so, I am deeply offended and want his comment removed immediately. While I can only go by what I have read here, as I don't even know Mr. Land or Ms. Land, what I see here is another tale of a young man who most likely would have become a productive member of society, had family, friends and the community been a little more supportive and willing to provide him with the help he, obvisouly, so desparately needed. Had he been given adequate medical care, sure, he might have had to stay in a hospital from time to time, just like many of us with chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease do, but now, it seems as though he may have to spend an awful long time being supported by taxpayers, when he would have easily been a taxpayer himself. There is absolutely nothing that is even remotely funny about this article. My only wish is that Ms. Land, as well as Mr. Land, gets all the help and support she requires at this what must be an extremely difficult time.

    -- Posted by outtahere on Tue, Jul 21, 2009, at 10:27 PM

  • Why is it that when something horrible goes wrong, it's always, well the community or his friends and family should have been there, been more supportive. If only he had the medicine that he needed. Face it, there are some people who are just plain evil. No medicine or support could change these people. He did wrong, don't make it look like it's his families fault or the communities. Hell I didn't even know him and I live in this community. Should I have been more supportive to an individual I didn't even know. It's impossible to support someone when you don't know they exist!!!!!!!

    -- Posted by whodouthinkur on Tue, Jul 28, 2009, at 2:37 PM
Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: