Man accused in Lebanon murder to pursue insanity defense
Attorneys for Alan P. Nadeau, who is charged with murder in the April 12 stabbing death of Christian E. Beloin in Lebanon, told Superior Court Judge Hillary B. Strackbein Tuesday that they intend to pursue an insanity defense.
Nadeau's case will be heard sometime next year by a three-judge panel that will determine whether the state can prove he committed the crime and if he was was suffering from a mental disease or defect at the time.
If he is found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, he could be committed to a state hospital for up to 60 years.
The 31-year-old is accused of stabbing Beloin, a friend of his father's who was sleeping on a couch in their family home, in the neck with a bayonet. After turning himself in to the state police, Nadeau said he had been prescribed antidepressants and anti-psychotic medications in the past but had not taken them for a year.
In June, the judge found Nadeau incompetent to stand trial after a panel of clinicians tasked with evaluating his mental health reported he was unable to provide accurate information about himself and acted paranoid and delusional. The judge committed him to the state hospital for two months to restore him to competency and then he was returned to prison.
Nadeau is being held at the Garner Correctional Institution, the state prison in Newtown that specializes in detention and treatment of mentally ill prisoners. His next court date is Jan. 7.
Nadeau is represented by attorneys Kevin C. Barrs and M. Fred DeCaprio from the public defender's office. Senior Assistant State's Attorney David J. Smith is prosecuting the case.
k.florin@theday.com
Twitter: @KFLORIN
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