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Accused East Precinct cop killer to mount insanity defense

Brenton left behind a wife and two children

Lawyers for the man accused of killing East Precinct cop Timothy Brenton on Halloween night, 2009 are preparing an insanity defense:

Seattle Times: Monfort to use insanity plea in SPD officer’s killing
Lawyers representing the man accused of killing Seattle police Officer Timothy Brenton and wounding a second officer on Halloween night 2009 plan to pursue an insanity defense.

Christopher Monfort’s lawyers have notified King County Superior Court that he will plead not guilty by reason of insanity. Monfort is facing the death penalty if he’s convicted of the ambush slaying of Brenton.


“With respect to the charges, Mr. Monfort, due to a mental disease or defect, was unable to determine right from wrong (at the time of the shooting),” Carl Luer, one of Monfort’s defense lawyers, said in an interview Monday. “We need to look into every possible defense. This is one that is accurate with the facts of the case.” More…

In late 2009, Monfort was arrested and charged in the murder and pleaded not guilty. Shot by police when he was arrested, Monfort now requires a wheelchair and is kept in isolation at the King County Jail because of his medical condition and status as an “ultra-security inmate.”

The capital case was scheduled to go to trial later this year but the new plea could delay proceedings, the Times reports.

Monfort is accused of opening fire on Brenton and rookie officer Britt Sweeney on Halloween 2009 in an attack at 29th Ave S and East Yesler Way that left Brenton dead and Sweeney wounded and a firebomb attack on police cars parked in a city maintenance yard a week previous to the shootings.

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calhoun
11 years ago

Is just plain ol’ “hating the police” a mental illness? I think not, and that’s what this amoral thug is guilty of, in addition to cold-blooded murder. Lock him up and throw away the key.