Meet 22 y/o Linus Norgren of Manning, Oregon.
In the pic above Linus seems a peaceful enough young man, but on Tuesday, March 10th, 2015 he was sentenced to ten (1) years in prison for attempted murder and three (3) counts of second degree assault, and his "time of arrest" and mugshots (both below) are apparently more reflective is his more primal state.
Tuesday's conviction stems from an October, 2013 incident where a one Jeff McDonald (picture unavailable) had gone out hunting for deer near his home in Manning, Oregon. While in the woods Jeff, who was was carrying his high powered rifle, came across Linus, whom Jeff believed to have been dressed in "tan clothing", but who was in fact - pardon the bad pun - "buck" naked. Jeff asked Linus for his name and had received a normal response before Linus said that he was "a sasquatch from a family of sasquatches".
Jeff offered to help take Linus home but instead was struck on the head with a rock, causing him to black out. When Jess came to Linus was on top of him and squeezing his hands tightly around his neck. Jeff, who had suffered two dislocated shoulders, asked Linus why he was trying to kill him, to which Linus replied: "Sasquatch kills the hunter". At that Jeff, in an act of desperation, managed to bite one of Linus' knuckles before Linus appeared to "pass out" on top of him. After a further struggle Jeff managed to free himself, reach his gun, and call 911 while pointing his rifle at his attacker. According to reports Jeff told authorities that they needed to get to the scene quickly "because I only have one option here and you know what it is". It took deputies ninety (90) minutes to eventually found the duo in thick forest, and when they arrived Jeff had Linus at gunpoint. Apparently old McDonald was not...
At his sentencing hearing Linus' defense lawyer argued that his client had been suffering from "catastrophic mental disturbances" at the time of the incident, including experiencing symptoms of "untreated bipolar disorder", and Linus testified that that he had been acting in self-defense. Linus testified that "I was injured already, I was naked and I was terrified... Not to make excuses for myself, but Mr. McDonald's presence was absolutely terrifying. I truly believed I needed to defend myself to get out of that situation and go home. I didn't want to hurt him, I didn't want to hurt Mr. McDonald. I didn't want to kill him. I didn't want anything to happen to either of us. I couldn't help it." But the self defense argument was rejected by jurors and Linus was convicted of attempted murder and three (3) counts of second-degree assault, although he was acquitted of further charges of first degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon.
At his sentencing hearing Linus' defense lawyer argued that his client had been suffering from "catastrophic mental disturbances" at the time of the incident, including experiencing symptoms of "untreated bipolar disorder", and Linus testified that that he had been acting in self-defense. Linus testified that "I was injured already, I was naked and I was terrified... Not to make excuses for myself, but Mr. McDonald's presence was absolutely terrifying. I truly believed I needed to defend myself to get out of that situation and go home. I didn't want to hurt him, I didn't want to hurt Mr. McDonald. I didn't want to kill him. I didn't want anything to happen to either of us. I couldn't help it." But the self defense argument was rejected by jurors and Linus was convicted of attempted murder and three (3) counts of second-degree assault, although he was acquitted of further charges of first degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon.
Self defense (in Florida at least) must be both subjective and objectively reasonable - meaning that the person claiming it must have believed that s/he was in sufficient imminent danger so as to justify her/his use of force (the subjective element) but the Defendant's acts, given the facts and circumstances as known to the Defendant, must also present as reasonable to Jane and Joe Average citizen (the objective element - meaning that, Jane or Joe Average may have acted as the Defendant did were they confronted with the same facts and circumstances). If either prong fails then so too does the self-defense claim...
Not withstanding the small success percentage, Linus may have been better advised to run with the Sasquatch thing and attempt a straight up insanity defense. In fact, his defense lawyer could have helped the cause...
But, I suppose that in Linus's case....
For more than 23 years Michael A. Haber, P.A. has been providing creative, effective and zealous advocacy and counsel in cases ranging from DUI to drug trafficking and from misdemeanors to first degree murder.
At Michael A. Haber, P.A. "Its all about reasonable doubt"!
Michael A. Haber, Esq. is prepared to speak with you about your case!
Cell: 305-798-2220; Office: 305-381-8686; Toll Free: 1-888-SHARK-8-1
LIKE www.facebook.com/haberpa ~ FOLLOW http://habercriminallaw.blogspot.com ~ SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/c/michaelhaberlaw ~ SEE www.criminallaw.miami ~ CALL 1-888-SHARK-8-1
THIS BLOG POST (AS ARE ALL OF HABERPA BLOG POSTS) IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT WHICH IS PRIMARILY DESIGNED, BY WAY OF REAL WORLD EXAMPLE, TO ASSIST THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN AVOIDING CONDUCT WHICH COULD FORESEEABLY RESULT IN ARREST AND PROSECUTION!
#Webisode #YouTube #VideoFAQ #AVVO #HaberPA #Arrest #Arrested #CriminalLawyer #CriminalLaw #CriminalDefense #CriminalDefenseLawyer #MiamiCriminalDefenseLawyer #CriminalDefenseAttorney #MiamiCriminalDefenseAttorney #CriminalAttorney #DUI #DWI #DrivingUnderTheInfluence #BUI #BoatingUnderTheInfluence #DomesticViolence #DV #DVRO #DomesticViolenceRestrainingOrder #Seal #Expunge #Sealing #Expungement #CriminalRecord #CriminalHistory #PSA #PublicServiceAnnouncement #Sasquatch #Bigfoot #Hunter #Hunting #MentalIllness #Insanity #BiPolar #BiPolarDisorder
3 comments:
I am Jeff's wife. Linus refused to cooperate while he was housed at the Oregon State Hospital to determine if he was fit to participate in his own defense. Rumor was that he was stonewalling the prosecutions Psychiatrist. I can assure you that the boy was nutty as a fruitcake. It's tragic that he is in prison and not in a mental health facility. But... it was his own hubris that handicapped his defense.
I was helping to locate them and was in the first car with police when we rolled up on the scene. It was very strange to me that Linus was not only unremorseful, he was smiling and smug. There was speculation that he may have, in addition to a bi-polar manic high, been on Bathsalts.
Sounds like the speculation may be spot on.
I hope he is amenable to receiving help... that would lessen the tragedy.
Thanks for your comment!
Post a Comment