Sentencing Is Moving Forward For The Convicted Capital Gazette Gunman
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- Nearly four weeks after the jury ruled Jarrod Ramos was criminally responsible for the shooting rampage at the Capital Gazette offices, he returned Wednesday to courtroom 4-C.
He wrote to the judge: He was dissatisfied with his counsel after the trial, requesting a standard, pre-sentencing report be waived and sentencing be moved up.
Judge Michael Wachs denied both.
The gunman pleaded guilty in 2019 to 23 charges, including five counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of John McNamara, Wendi Winters, Rebecca Smith, Gerald Fischman, and Rob Hiaasen.
The criminal responsibility trial--Maryland's version of an insanity defense--spanned two weeks.
He was found responsible July 15, more than three years after the shootings, meaning he would spend the rest of his life in prison rather than a state hospital.
Prosecutors are collecting written victim impact statements now and will have two weeks to tell the court how many victims' family members and survivors wish to speak at sentencing, scheduled for Sept. 28.
