Christian Lepore found not guilty by reason of insanity

August 2, 2017 1:22 pm

By Alana Cerrone

acerrone@abc6.com

@Alana_Cerrone

WARWICK, R.I. (WLNE) — An insanity defense for a murder case in Rhode Island has not been successful since 2011.

But Wednesday, Judge Brian Stern ruled Christian Lepore was in the middle of a psychotic break, and couldn’t understand the wrongfulness of his actions, when he beat John O’Neil to death outside his West Greenwich home last May. He found Lepore not guilty by reason of insanity.

In court, Lepore appeared to wipe away tears as he listened to impact statements from O’Neil’s wife and sister.

"Unlike the murderer who brutally beat my husband with his bare hands, and brought great sorrow to our community, Jake created beauty with his."

An insanity defense for a murder case in Rhode Island has not been successful since 2011.

O’Neil’s wife, Alyson McCann, says her husband, affectionately called Jake, was kind, funny, and gentle, and a skilled craftsman.

"The workshop – Jake built that. And he built our home."

She says he saved her life that day, and likely the lives of several others, by calling 9-1-1 and putting an end to Lepore’s rampage.

But she questions how Lepore could ever live amongst society again.

"Who would be his next random victim?

Ellen O’Neil describes the loss her family has suffered since her brother’s death.

"We live on knowing the horror of his last moments on earth, and that is a life sentence with no parole."

But as Judge Stern recounted the erratic and gruesome events of May 28, 2016, he noted testimony from Lepore’s coworkers, who said before that day, they had always gotten along, as well as expert testimony from two psychiatrists who said Lepore was suffering from a mental disease at the time of the murder.

For that, Judge Stern ruled that Lepore could not appreciate the wrongfulness of his actions, and must not be held criminally responsible.

"This court finds that you are not guilty by reason of insanity on all counts in this indictment."

Lepore had also been charged with assault and battery on 4 police officers and a K9.

He will be under observation at a state hospital for 20 days, at which point the director will assess whether Lepore can be released into the community.

That decision will again be taken up in court.