Jeremiah Paul Damron, a Montezuma County man suspected of murdering his mother last year, was in court for a status conference on Tuesday awaiting a sanity evaluation from the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo, but the report has not yet come.
Forty-nine days ago, on Oct. 2, 22nd Judicial District Judge Todd Plewe ordered CMHIP to complete a sanity evaluation. CMHIP has not yet complied. On Tuesday, Plewe issued another order, requesting a sanity evaluation within two weeks. If CMHIP does not comply, he said he could go as far as to take legal action against the mental health institute.
“I will certainly do my part to make them comply,” Plewe said.
Damron’s defense attorney, John Moran, said Damron has been waiting on CMHIP while in custody at the Montezuma County Detention Center. He told Plewe that nothing is happening in the case. To his eyes, he said, the missed deadlines signal that the Colorado Department of Human Services is not doing its job.
Damron, 37, has appeared in court at least 12 times since his arrest on July 20, 2017, mostly regarding his mental competence. Damron was found competent to stand trial in March, but his defense requested a second evaluation, which the court granted. The court heard then from three expert witnesses, two who had evaluated Damron this year and found him competent to proceed to trial, and one who had found him incompetent in 2017.
On Aug. 1, 2018, the court again found Damron competent to proceed. A month later, on Oct. 2, Damron pleaded guilty by reason of insanity. At that point, Plewe ordered CMHIP to conduct the sanity evaluation.
Damron is charged with one count of first-degree murder, two counts of felony menacing, one count of third-degree assault, one count of child abuse and one count of obstructing government operations. The first-degree murder charge carries a minimum sentence of life in prison. Prosecutors have stated they will not seek the death penalty.
On July 20, 2017, Montezuma County Sheriff Steve Nowlin and two Cortez Police Officers arrested Damron after finding his mother’s body beaten and burned in his backyard of his mobile home on the 7000 block of County Road 21.75, near County Road G.
During a hearing in September, the court made a record that it does not want another continuance. Plewe on Tuesday said he doesn’t want to delay the case any longer. He said he wants this resolved for the court, the victim’s family and the community.
sdolan@the-journal.com
Timeline
Key dates in the case against Jeremiah Paul Damron.
JULY 20, 2017:
The body of Damron’s mother, 62-year-old Kristie Damron, is found apparently beaten and burned to death in his backyard early in the morning. Cortez police and sheriff’s deputies arrest Damron on North Sligo Street at 10:25 a.m.
JULY 24, 2017:
Damron appears in Montezuma County District Court for an advisement hearing. His bail is set at $500,000, and he is ordered to undergo a mental competency evaluation through the Colorado Department of Human Services.
JULY 28, 2017:
Damron is charged with first-degree murder. His mental competency hearing is scheduled for Sept. 6, and his preliminary hearing for Sept. 22.
SEPT. 6, 2017:
Damron’s hearings are delayed after CDHS says the results of his evaluation will not be available until October.
OCT. 17, 2017:
Damron is ruled mentally incompetent to participate in his defense. District Judge Todd Plewe orders him to undergo treatment at the CDHS Institute in Pueblo.
JAN. 16, 2018:
CDHS requests a delay in Damron’s treatment, and his hearing is postponed to April 3. Plewe turns down a request to reduce bail.
MARCH 2, 2018:
Damron is deemed competent to proceed by CDHS Institute, according to court records.
APRIL 17, 2018:
Plewe grants a defense request for a second assessment. The next competency hearing is June 22.
JUNE 22, 2018:
Defense attorney challenges mental health evaluations.
Aug. 1, 2018:
Plewe finds Damron competent to stand trial.
Oct. 2, 2018:
Damron pleads not guilty by reason of insanity. Plewe orders CDHS Institute to complete sanity evaluation.
Nov. 20, 2018:
Sanity evaluation has not been conducted. Plewe issues second order for CHS Institute to complete sanity evaluation.
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