Accused cop-killer Daniel Butts heads back to mental hospital
ST. HELENS, Ore. -- Accused cop-killer Daniel Butts is not mentally competent to go to trial, a judge decided on Wednesday.
The decision delays proceedings against Butts, 23, indefinitely and sends him back to a state mental hospital until he is able to assist in his own defense.
If after three years, the Kalama, Wash., man is still is not competent, Butts will be evaluated again.
Butts is charged with murdering Rainier, Ore., Police Chief Ralph Painter in January 2011.
During a hearing in St. Helens, Ore., on Wednesday, Butts appeared reclusive, putting his hands over his ears and eyes with his head down on the table.
Butts has been in minimal communication with his doctors and attorneys, and barely talks, only sharing his basic needs.
Judge Ted Grove noted Butts’ bizarre behavior – how Butts has focused on childlike desires, such as playing basketball and eating pizza and cheeseburgers, instead of the charges at hand.
“Such childlike behavior is identified with schizophrenia,” the judge said.
His lawyers said in hearings last week that Butts is psychotic and won't meet with them or help make decisions. Prosecutors argue Butts is faking illness.
Grove said Butts must begin accepting medical treatment in order for him to be competent to stand trial.
Butts’ attorneys said if there is a trial, they want it moved out of Columbia County.
After the hearing, Painter’s widow, Amy, said she wasn’t surprised with the judge’s ruling, “but we were hoping to move forward today.”
“We want to see this through for Ralph’s sake,” Amy Painter said. “I know it’s what he would do for any one of us.”
Sad for everyone concerned, not just Painter's family. The Butts family is not just Daniel. He's a son and a brother. They tried to get help for him and couldn't. This had to be hell for them also. His sister was still in HS. What a thing for them to have to live with. I know if Daniel was my son I would be dying inside every day. I can't imagine the heartbreak. This changed two family's lives forever.
My heart goes out Painter's family, He was as Andy in Mayberry, he knew the kid, only his kindness and sense of service to help, without violence, which served him so well on past calls, it was a great loss, because he looked for the humanity in people, to fault him after the fact is not the issue, he was a man of courage, a family man, who was only concerned in keeping peace, because he was "tested" unlike some posting, the kid will find himself locked up for good in any event.
Still would like to know how he was able to get Painter's gun. Obviously, the cop really screwed up here. Should be a lesson for all law enforcement.
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@Dr. Rawdog Oh, yeah!  Tons of the same commenters are also 'experts' in interpreting the US Constitution, 'cept for that silly Eighth Amendment and the whole "cruel and unusual punishment" part.  Personally, I'd rather go to prison than a mental institution.....reminds me of "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" -- no thanks.
dude, i was in a classroom for special needs kids when i was in grade school. Â this is somewhat close to what i used to do. Â but that's only supposed to be done as a child, that way you get the attention of your parents or teachers, so they can listen to you and understand what you want. Â as an adult, it just means you are forcibly distancing yourself from reality and attempting to break yourself down, so you can become legitimately mental. Â if there is no more investigating and there is plenty of evidence supporting him as guilty, a baton beating might wake him up maybe? Â if he is innocent and acting like this, why go through the extra torture? Â do note, the story does say "accused", so i pose the question.
waiting another 3 years is just even more money spent waiting to stand trial anyways that nobody's getting back ever again.
Poor Butts!!!!!
I have a solution for ALL of your problems and those that this area has for you still being alive. Find a way for you to dispatch yourself from this life.
Good Riddence you POS!!!!!!Â
You know Butt's you could of made a lot of money acting, not killing! POS
This guy hasn't got any mental problems. He's just a good faker.
How much longer are we going to support this loser? Lock him up for life so we have to spend the tax dollars to prevent him from doing this again? Put him to death just like he deserves. But no. Dr. K doesn't believe in the death penalty, even though some of the voters that put him in office probably voted for it like I did. Voters of Oregon get your act together, vote Kitzhaber out and put someone in that will honor what the voters want.
@Bdou Better yet have "Butthead" live with Governor Green Jeans for the next three years. Perhaps he'll change his views on the death penalty.
Amazing.  I had no idea there were so many mental health professionals on this site.  Not only that, their skills seem to be so advanced as to be able to determine whether or not a person is faking schizophrenia buy simply reading a few lines of text.
@Tardacus Not professional, just mental
Didn't the actual doctors that observed him at OSH testify that he was faaking mental illness. Frankly nothing will cure this guys mental illness like a lethal injection
Playing basketball is childlike behavior. The NBA finally makes sense
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@feral @Bert I know and I did not vote for Obama. Two strikes. And if you put hair on Steve Harvey he would look like Richard Pryor. Opps they look alike - dang strike three. I mean just the two. Really
And, the best actor Oscar goes to..............
Bet he would'nt be worried about "childlike desires" if he was staring through the hangman's noose.
Now I know where the saying "don't be a Butt head" came from. If he doesn't know right from wrong then there is no hope for him so put him down like a mad dog.
Spend some time around a schizophrenic and you'll understand.
Lock him up for life. Â That's the best we can do.
He killed a man. Eye for an eye. He was mentally competent enough to commit the crime. Put him before a judge and jury, get him sentenced and then he can be as incompetent as he wants as he rots his life away in prison!
As tragic as this is, and as much as we would love to this guy fry for this, we need to to really examine why we have this law on the books.. I for one agree with the judge, this young man is so severely mentally ill he needs to be in a hospital and not in a prison.. This guy in prison would be a horrible mistake to our justice system.. I do however feel for the family of the police chief, but I am certain the chief would agree... This is a right and just call..
@dougrpdx .......tell us Doctor. What exactly is his mental illness?
Well, since Butts is not mentally competent and was caught more or less red-handed, there's no reason to send him back to the mental hospital is there? What difference will there be in three years after another evaluation? Wouldn't it be cheaper and more humane to put him out of any further delay in execution? What good reason will there be in putting him on trial? He refuses to take medication! What possible good can he ever contribute to society? The only winners here will be his defense attorneys. Postponing the inevitable is a waste of time!
jpk
Even his defence attorneys are not wanting this case. They are not retained, they are PD's, the entire staff is paid equal to baby attorneys after all this is NOT a death penalty case while Kitz is here.  Butts would be better off getting convicted and sentenced to death before Kitz leaves office so he can get commuted to life....
BTW: He is a lousy actor
Faker!
Fooled the judge i guess.