Larson
KINGSTON – A Pine Bush man, who called police to say intruders
broke into his 58 Vista Maria Road home and who shot at him resulting
in his shooting back at them, pled guilty on Monday in Ulster County Court
to being not responsible by reason of mental disease or defect.
Cory Larson, 32, pled guilty to the felony charges of menacing a police
officer and reckless endangerment, and a misdemeanor of criminal possession
of a weapon.
While on the phone with an Ulster County 911 operator on the day of the
incident, Larson said that one of the intruders was in his bed and he
commanded the alleged intruder to “shut up, a…hole.”
He told the operator he was going to shoot the intruder again.
When state troopers arrived, they found Larson alone and shooting his
shotgun indiscriminately inside his home. At one point, Larson pointed
his gun through a window at an officer, but did not fire it.
Larson eventually surrendered and was taken into custody without injury
to anyone or further damage to person property.
Police found several shotgun shells all over the house at the walls, his
bed and his door. There was also evidence of drug and alcohol use, but
there was no evidence of anyone else in the home or injured.
A forensic psychiatrist examined Larkin and determined that at the time
of the incident, he was suffering from drug and alcohol withdrawals, hallucinations,
and a pre-existing real brain injury he sustained from an impact at a
previous construction job.
As a result of those conditions, Larkin lacked substantial capacity to
know or appreciate the nature and consequences of his conduct on May 24,
2016, or that the conduct was wrong. The DA’s office consented to
the plea.
Larson was committed to the state Department of Mental Health for treatment
and progressive assessment of his mental condition. If he is determined
to be dangerously mentally ill, he will be held and treated in a secure
mental health facility in the state.
