Defense seeks to exclude death penalty for accused dad citing mental illness in fatal shooting of 3 sons

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CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO: Attorneys representing Chad Doerman, who stands accused of fatally shooting his three young sons in 2023, have filed a motion urging the exclusion of the death penalty from his case, citing "serious mental illness at time of offense."

The motion, submitted to Clermont County Judge Richard Ferenc, requests a determination that Doerman is ineligible for the death penalty.

A preliminary hearing on the motion is scheduled for Friday afternoon, with the suspect's legal team agreeing to present an expert report supporting his mental illness by June 3, as outlined in the motion.

Legal experts divided on Chad Doerman's mental state during crime

According to court documents, two experts have already assessed Doerman and concluded that he suffered from a severe mental illness on the day of the alleged incident when he reportedly aimed a loaded Marlin Model .22 rifle at his children.

However, these experts did not reach a consensus on whether he was aware of the wrongfulness of his actions at the time.

Under Ohio law, individuals proven to have experienced serious mental illness at the time of committing a crime cannot be subject to execution by the state. However, they may receive a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Doerman is confronted with a total of 21 charges linked to the allegations of fatally shooting his sons—Hunter, aged 4, Clayton, aged 7, and Chase, aged 3—in an execution-style manner on June 15, 2023.

These charges encompass nine counts of aggravated murder, eight counts of kidnapping, and four counts of felonious assault.

Insights on Chad Doerman's actions before tragic shooting

Details from two versions of the bill of particulars—one released in 2023 and another in April—outline the sequence of events leading up to the tragic incident. It is depicted that Doerman returned home from work early on June 15, 2023.

The latest version of the document delineates the father's conduct, encompassing his interactions with a Bible, his exchange with his wife, and ultimately, the events culminating in the fatal shooting.

According to the document, Doerman was heard muttering, "Chad knows what's right," as he walked with the Bible. Following this, he proceeded to access his gun safe in the master bedroom.

As per the documents, his wife intervened, expressing her fear and discomfort with his actions, and declared her intention to contact his parents. Doerman purportedly responded by dismissing her concerns, asserting he was "just kidding" and "playing around."

After this exchange, Doerman opted to recline in the bedroom. Concerned about his behavior, his wife chose not to leave him alone, and she and one of the children joined him in the bedroom.

The narrative then corresponds with the initial version released in 2023, detailing him retrieving a Marlin Model .22 rifle with a loaded magazine from the gun safe in the bedroom and proceeding to open fire on his family, which included chasing his children through the yard of the home.

Chad Doerman enters new plea following ruling on 'Miranda Rights'

In March, Judge Ferenc ruled that Doerman's Miranda Rights had been violated during interrogation by law enforcement officers.

Consequently, any alleged confession obtained during this interrogation, as stated by the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office, will not be admissible as evidence in Doerman’s trial.

Following this ruling, Doerman subsequently appeared in court and entered a new plea to the charges against him: not guilty by reason of insanity. This plea was filed more than nine months after his initial arrest and plea of not guilty.