UTICA, N.Y. – The attorney for the man who shot at officers during a seven-hour standoff with police over the summer, has filed a late notice for a psychiatric defense.
Justin Carter, 35, pleaded not guilty to first-degree attempted murder in September, when police say he shot at officers and vehicles after barricading himself in a barn off of Route 46 in Verona.
Carter’s attorney, Michael Spano, was awaiting a full psychiatric report before officially filing the defense with the court.
"The law requires that when a psychiatric defense may be presented at a trial, that it has to be filed within 30 days of the arraignment and we weren't ready to file it within 30 days because I didn't have all the expert opinions that I needed. As soon as those were available, I drafted that notice and filed it and as you can see, the DA's office had no objection to filing it late," said Spano.
According to Spano, Carter spent 14 years in the military, and it was took a while to received all of his records.
Carter is due back in court Jan. 23 for a suppression hearing regarding statements he allegedly made to police after the incident.
