A 34-year-old man charged in a January stabbing death of a man and his dog in Green Bay pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect June 13.
James Dorr faces five charges in the Jan. 28 Capitol Drive killing of a 60-year-old man, including first-degree intentional homicide, mistreatment of animals causing death and possession of methamphetamine. Dorr appeared in Brown County Circuit Court June 13 and entered a not guilty by reason of mental disease of defect plea, also known as an insanity plea.
Around 8:50 p.m. Jan. 28, Green Bay police officers responded to the 1500 block of Capitol Drive and found the victim dead with 15 stab wounds to the chest, according to a criminal complaint. Officers also found a white poodle, named Benji, dead in the victim’s bedroom.
Dorr admitted to stabbing the man, who Dorr knew, and the dog in an interview with police, the complaint said. He told police he was seeing his daughter and his daughter’s mother being raped and murdered and believed it was the end of the world, according to the complaint.
If Dorr maintains his not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect plea and the case goes to trial, the trial will proceed in two parts. First, a jury would determine whether or not Dorr is criminally responsible, which would run like a standard trial.
If Dorr was found criminally responsible, a jury would then determine if Dorr is mentally responsible. To be found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, Dorr’s defense would have to prove that because of a mental disease or defect, Dorr was incapable of knowing the wrongness of his conduct or of conforming his conduct with the law.
If Dorr is found criminally responsible, the mental responsibility portion of the trial would determine whether he is sentenced to prison or to a mental health institution. A trial date has not been set and Dorr returns to court September 19.
Vivian Barrett is the public safety reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. You can reach her at vmbarrett@greenbay.gannett.com or (920) 431-8314. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @vivianbarrett_.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Man charged in Green Bay stabbing death of man and dog pleads not guilty by reason of insanity
Reporting by Vivian Barrett, Green Bay Press-Gazette / Green Bay Press-Gazette
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