This man claimed that he was shooting "warnings" for the other drivers, because he was highly anxious. He has been sentenced for this case and another that was pending. Read the article for more information.
HOWELL, Mich. (AP) — A man who kept a swath of southeastern Michigan on edge for weeks by shooting at two-dozen vehicles along a busy highway corridor was sentenced to 16 to 40 years in prison on a terrorism conviction Monday.
Raulie Casteel learned his fate in Livingston County Circuit Court, where a jury in January found him guilty of terrorism, rejecting his claim that the shootings were the impulsive result of uncontrolled delusions and paranoia.
Casteel, 44, already is serving a six-plus-year sentence that stemmed from a related case in neighboring Oakland County.
During the Livingston County trial, Casteel testified that he shot at the other motorists on Interstate 96 and nearby roads between Lansing and Detroit over a three-day period in October 2012. Testifying in his own defense, Casteel said he was consumed with anxiety while in traffic, most likely from undiagnosed delusions. He said he believed drivers were part of a government conspiracy against him.
Casteel said he never thought about the consequences of the shootings, only that he wanted "to send a message to back off."
Defense lawyers pleaded for an acquittal on the terrorism charge, arguing there was no premeditation as required by law, but the jury disagreed.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Law Office of John L. Calcagni, III offers clients representation in the areas of Criminal Defense, Military Defense, Federal Criminal Defense, OUI Defense in MA , Assault and Battery and all criminal matters.
As a Criminal and Military Defense Attorney and former prosecutor with the US Army JAG Corps, John Calcagni, is admitted to practice in the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and the U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals, as well as the state and federal courts in Rhode Island, New York, Connecticut, Florida and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Please call (401) 351-5100 to arrange for a free consultation about your case or visit our website at
www,CalcagniLaw.com
If you cannot make it to one of our offices, we will to come to your home or detention center.