Mentally ill man gets 20 years in slaying of prominent defense attorney
A mentally ill man was sentenced Monday to 20 years in prison for shooting to death a prominent Kentucky defense attorney as he arrived at work at his law office, across the street from the defendant’s home.
Clinton Inabnit, 41, pleaded guilty but mentally ill in the June 27, 2014 slaying of Mark Stanziano, which occurred less than a block from the Somerset courthouse. A Pulaski County sheriff’s detective was an eyewitness.
Diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, Inabnit said he had been told by a local newspaper to shoot Stanziano. Both prosecution and defense lawyers agreed that shortcomings in the mental health treatment system had contributed to Stanziano’s death, reports the Lexington Herald-Leader.
“This was a preventable crime,” said Inabnit’s lawyer, Richard Leary.
Hat tip: Associated Press
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Criminal defense attorney shot and killed; suspect lived nearby and had made threats”
ABAJournal.com: “Hospital released man while he was delusional, says widow of slain attorney in lawsuit”
