Twincities.com : Stillwater man pleads guilty to killing father

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Stillwater man pleads guilty to killing father

By Mohr

emohr@...

Posted:  03/27/2010 6:47 PM

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A Stillwater man accused of stabbing his father to death in October has pleaded

guilty.

J. Janisch, 30, pleaded guilty in Washington County District Court on

Friday to the more-serious of two charges against him, second-degree murder with

intent but not premeditation. A lesser charge will be dropped as part of the

plea agreement.

His plea is an admission that " he intended to assault his father and that

assault led to his death, " said Schwantes, Janisch's public defender.

Janisch faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, though sentencing

guidelines offer a sentence half that length if a judge so chooses. The defense

also can request a shorter sentence, Schwantes said.

Janisch decided to plead guilty instead of going to trial because he wanted to

take responsibility, Schwantes said.

" wanted to take responsibility from the first time I met him in October, "

Schwantes said.

Another element of Janisch's plea was his agreement  to waive his right to a

mental illness defense, despite years of mental health problems.

" That's something we thoroughly investigated. We strongly considered a mental

illness defense, " Schwantes said. " In the end, it was something my client

decided he did not want to pursue. "

Court records show that Janisch has a history of mental illness and violence

toward his parents. According to a 1999 report to Ramsey County District Court,

he was diagnosed as bipolar with psychotic features and chemical

dependency. Janisch was civilly committed in 1999 and 2000 after the court

declared him mentally ill.

In a February 1999 petition to the court, Janisch stated that a month

earlier, his son " suddenly became very aggressive and began to choke " him.

The most recent commitment order expired in March 2001. Janisch had been

released from the hospital in December 2000 and went to a St. home for the

mentally ill.

On Oct. 17, police arrived at the Janisch home in Stillwater and found

57-year-old Janisch alive but badly wounded. They asked, " Who did this

to you? " He reportedly told them, " My son, he's bipolar, " according to a

criminal complaint.

Janisch had been stabbed once in the chest. He was transported to

Regions Hospital, where he later died.

Janisch had wanted to " go into more detail " during his plea hearing but

instead will address the court at his sentencing, Schwantes said.

" It's very clear to me how much my client knows how much his dad loved him and

how much his father did for him. And I think he wants to talk about that — about

how his dad loved him more than anybody, that he loved his dad, " Schwantes said.

" Even if gets to a point where he can manage his mental illness, for

understandable reasons, I don't believe he thinks he'll ever be able to forgive

himself. "

His sentencing is scheduled for May 20. He remains in custody at the Washington

County Jail.

Mohr can be reached at 651-228-5162.

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Stillwater man pleads guilty to killing father

By Mohr

emohr@...

Posted:  03/27/2010 6:47 PM

More Zones >>

Next >>

A Stillwater man accused of stabbing his father to death in October has pleaded

guilty.

J. Janisch, 30, pleaded guilty in Washington County District Court on

Friday to the more-serious of two charges against him, second-degree murder with

intent but not premeditation. A lesser charge will be dropped as part of the

plea agreement.

His plea is an admission that " he intended to assault his father and that

assault led to his death, " said Schwantes, Janisch's public defender.

Janisch faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, though sentencing

guidelines offer a sentence half that length if a judge so chooses. The defense

also can request a shorter sentence, Schwantes said.

Janisch decided to plead guilty instead of going to trial because he wanted to

take responsibility, Schwantes said.

" wanted to take responsibility from the first time I met him in October, "

Schwantes said.

Another element of Janisch's plea was his agreement  to waive his right to a

mental illness defense, despite years of mental health problems.

" That's something we thoroughly investigated. We strongly considered a mental

illness defense, " Schwantes said. " In the end, it was something my client

decided he did not want to pursue. "

Court records show that Janisch has a history of mental illness and violence

toward his parents. According to a 1999 report to Ramsey County District Court,

he was diagnosed as bipolar with psychotic features and chemical

dependency. Janisch was civilly committed in 1999 and 2000 after the court

declared him mentally ill.

In a February 1999 petition to the court, Janisch stated that a month

earlier, his son " suddenly became very aggressive and began to choke " him.

The most recent commitment order expired in March 2001. Janisch had been

released from the hospital in December 2000 and went to a St. home for the

mentally ill.

On Oct. 17, police arrived at the Janisch home in Stillwater and found

57-year-old Janisch alive but badly wounded. They asked, " Who did this

to you? " He reportedly told them, " My son, he's bipolar, " according to a

criminal complaint.

Janisch had been stabbed once in the chest. He was transported to

Regions Hospital, where he later died.

Janisch had wanted to " go into more detail " during his plea hearing but

instead will address the court at his sentencing, Schwantes said.

" It's very clear to me how much my client knows how much his dad loved him and

how much his father did for him. And I think he wants to talk about that — about

how his dad loved him more than anybody, that he loved his dad, " Schwantes said.

" Even if gets to a point where he can manage his mental illness, for

understandable reasons, I don't believe he thinks he'll ever be able to forgive

himself. "

His sentencing is scheduled for May 20. He remains in custody at the Washington

County Jail.

Mohr can be reached at 651-228-5162.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T

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Stillwater man pleads guilty to killing father

By Mohr

emohr@...

Posted:  03/27/2010 6:47 PM

More Zones >>

Next >>

A Stillwater man accused of stabbing his father to death in October has pleaded

guilty.

J. Janisch, 30, pleaded guilty in Washington County District Court on

Friday to the more-serious of two charges against him, second-degree murder with

intent but not premeditation. A lesser charge will be dropped as part of the

plea agreement.

His plea is an admission that " he intended to assault his father and that

assault led to his death, " said Schwantes, Janisch's public defender.

Janisch faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, though sentencing

guidelines offer a sentence half that length if a judge so chooses. The defense

also can request a shorter sentence, Schwantes said.

Janisch decided to plead guilty instead of going to trial because he wanted to

take responsibility, Schwantes said.

" wanted to take responsibility from the first time I met him in October, "

Schwantes said.

Another element of Janisch's plea was his agreement  to waive his right to a

mental illness defense, despite years of mental health problems.

" That's something we thoroughly investigated. We strongly considered a mental

illness defense, " Schwantes said. " In the end, it was something my client

decided he did not want to pursue. "

Court records show that Janisch has a history of mental illness and violence

toward his parents. According to a 1999 report to Ramsey County District Court,

he was diagnosed as bipolar with psychotic features and chemical

dependency. Janisch was civilly committed in 1999 and 2000 after the court

declared him mentally ill.

In a February 1999 petition to the court, Janisch stated that a month

earlier, his son " suddenly became very aggressive and began to choke " him.

The most recent commitment order expired in March 2001. Janisch had been

released from the hospital in December 2000 and went to a St. home for the

mentally ill.

On Oct. 17, police arrived at the Janisch home in Stillwater and found

57-year-old Janisch alive but badly wounded. They asked, " Who did this

to you? " He reportedly told them, " My son, he's bipolar, " according to a

criminal complaint.

Janisch had been stabbed once in the chest. He was transported to

Regions Hospital, where he later died.

Janisch had wanted to " go into more detail " during his plea hearing but

instead will address the court at his sentencing, Schwantes said.

" It's very clear to me how much my client knows how much his dad loved him and

how much his father did for him. And I think he wants to talk about that — about

how his dad loved him more than anybody, that he loved his dad, " Schwantes said.

" Even if gets to a point where he can manage his mental illness, for

understandable reasons, I don't believe he thinks he'll ever be able to forgive

himself. "

His sentencing is scheduled for May 20. He remains in custody at the Washington

County Jail.

Mohr can be reached at 651-228-5162.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T

[Guest guest]

http://m.twincities.com/twincities/db_11039/contentdetail.htm;jsessionid=08825AE\

E18E8482A1D6C11223E251384?contentguid=Wu8nDrNV & storycount=12 & detailindex=0 & pn= & p\

s= & full=true#display

Stillwater man pleads guilty to killing father

By Mohr

emohr@...

Posted:  03/27/2010 6:47 PM

More Zones >>

Next >>

A Stillwater man accused of stabbing his father to death in October has pleaded

guilty.

J. Janisch, 30, pleaded guilty in Washington County District Court on

Friday to the more-serious of two charges against him, second-degree murder with

intent but not premeditation. A lesser charge will be dropped as part of the

plea agreement.

His plea is an admission that " he intended to assault his father and that

assault led to his death, " said Schwantes, Janisch's public defender.

Janisch faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, though sentencing

guidelines offer a sentence half that length if a judge so chooses. The defense

also can request a shorter sentence, Schwantes said.

Janisch decided to plead guilty instead of going to trial because he wanted to

take responsibility, Schwantes said.

" wanted to take responsibility from the first time I met him in October, "

Schwantes said.

Another element of Janisch's plea was his agreement  to waive his right to a

mental illness defense, despite years of mental health problems.

" That's something we thoroughly investigated. We strongly considered a mental

illness defense, " Schwantes said. " In the end, it was something my client

decided he did not want to pursue. "

Court records show that Janisch has a history of mental illness and violence

toward his parents. According to a 1999 report to Ramsey County District Court,

he was diagnosed as bipolar with psychotic features and chemical

dependency. Janisch was civilly committed in 1999 and 2000 after the court

declared him mentally ill.

In a February 1999 petition to the court, Janisch stated that a month

earlier, his son " suddenly became very aggressive and began to choke " him.

The most recent commitment order expired in March 2001. Janisch had been

released from the hospital in December 2000 and went to a St. home for the

mentally ill.

On Oct. 17, police arrived at the Janisch home in Stillwater and found

57-year-old Janisch alive but badly wounded. They asked, " Who did this

to you? " He reportedly told them, " My son, he's bipolar, " according to a

criminal complaint.

Janisch had been stabbed once in the chest. He was transported to

Regions Hospital, where he later died.

Janisch had wanted to " go into more detail " during his plea hearing but

instead will address the court at his sentencing, Schwantes said.

" It's very clear to me how much my client knows how much his dad loved him and

how much his father did for him. And I think he wants to talk about that — about

how his dad loved him more than anybody, that he loved his dad, " Schwantes said.

" Even if gets to a point where he can manage his mental illness, for

understandable reasons, I don't believe he thinks he'll ever be able to forgive

himself. "

His sentencing is scheduled for May 20. He remains in custody at the Washington

County Jail.

Mohr can be reached at 651-228-5162.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T