Accused Capital Gazette Mass Shooter Has Friday Deadline For Insanity Defense Decision

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- The man accused of opening fire inside the Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis last June appeared in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court under heavy security Monday.

A judge ruled against Jarrod Ramos' defense team. They had argued prosecutors were not giving them enough information about the charges to proceed.

Judge Laura Ripken ruled the state provided "significantly more than is required by law."

Defense attorneys claimed the law mandates that prosecutors provide more detail to them in what is called a "bill of particulars."

They previously told Ripken that detail would help them decide whether to enter a plea of not criminally responsible by reason of insanity.

"The issue is not whether Mr. Ramos suffers from mental illness, but whether that mental illness is the nexus of his criminal conduct," Ramos' attorney Caitlin O'Donnell said last month. "If the conduct is irrational, that would go more toward [not criminally responsible].

Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess is personally prosecuting the case.

"The defense said there was not sufficient information provided by the state for them to be able to proceed to trial or know what the charges were, and the judge found today that the state had provided more than enough evidence for them to be prepared for court," Leitess said.

The defense has a Friday deadline to decide whether they want to pursue a defense of not criminally responsible by reason of insanity.

The trial is set to begin on June 3rd and last two weeks, but that date could change.

Police say Ramos had a grudge against the newspaper after they covered a harassment case against him—and that he even made death threats against journalists online.

Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith, Wendi Winters lost their lives in the attack.

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