WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Violent Courtroom Struggle with Suicidal Suspect

Violent Courtroom Struggle with Suicidal Suspect

Burlington, Vermont - November 3, 2009

Patrick Andrews, 27, was back in court Tuesday accused of violating a court-ordered 24-hour curfew stemming from a series of charges including stalking. He has a history of mental health problems, including recent suicide attempts. For months he had been free on pre-trial release as long as he complied with metal heath counseling. But this time the prosecutor asked for $50,000 bail.

"We do not think he is in a stable mental state," Chittenden Deputy Prosecutor Gabe Gilman said. "And I don't think that it would be safe for him or for the particular subjects or for the community at large if he were released on conditions again."

Andrews confirmed the prosecutor's assessment moments later after the judge OK'd the bail request. Andrews grabbed a pen and tried to jam it into his wrist-- triggering a wild melee.

As the security officers led Andrews from the courtroom after the initial incident, he slammed his head off a railing and the holding cell Plexiglas.

Before he went to jail, court officials say Andrews was transported to Fletcher-Allen Health Care where he needed several stitches from head butting the Plexiglas. Andrews reportedly had no injuries on his wrist from the pen but he did manage to use it to cut the hand of a sheriff's deputy several times.

Two weeks ago, Andrews became the focus of a stepped up police investigation after he spotted an armed robbery going down at Gracey's Store in South Burlington, ran in and scared off the gun-toting bandit.

But it turns out the store clerk was a woman Andrews is accused of stalking for months. Police suspect his presence near the store at the time of the robbery was no coincidence.

"Based on what we know of his effort to recruit another individual to stage this armed robbery," Chittenden County Prosecutor T.J. Donovan explained, "it now appears that Mr. Andrews may have staged the armed robbery in order to gain favor with his stalking victim."

Donovan says the stalking victim is now even more terrified.

"We want to treat people who are mentally ill. But not at the expense of women in this community when they're causing crime putting people in fear," Donovan said.

For now Andrews is being held on $50,000 cash bail but his lawyer says he will seek to have Andrews sent to the state hospital in Waterbury this week to determine if he is mentally competent to stand trial.

Brian Joyce - WCAX News

WARNING: The RAW VIDEO may contain language that is inappropriate for children.