Jarrod Ramos, the man accused in the Capital Gazette shootings, appeared in court Monday for the first time since his arrest in June.
He sat slumped over in his chair at the defense table during the morning hearing wearing dark green hospital scrubs, socks and prison shower sandals and had shackles around his ankles. He only spoke in a whisper to his lawyer, William Davis.
Davis signed off on notifications that prosecutors plan to seek sentences of life without the possibility of parole for each of the five victims in the shooting in the Capital Gazette newsroom on June 28.
Anne Arundel Circuit Court Judge Laura Kiessling set motions hearings for December 18th and 19th and scheduled the trial for January 15th of next year. She also gave Davis until Oct. 24 to consider changing his client’s plea.
Ramos pleaded not guilty July 30, but Davis has indicated he may change the plea to not criminally responsible by reason of insanity. He asked for additional time to review documents and other evidence in the case.
Ramos, 38, has been charged with five counts of first degree murder and other charges in the deaths of Gerald Fischman, Rebecca Smith, Wendi Winters, John McNamara and Rob Hiassen.
Police say Ramos, who nursed a seven-year-old grudge against the paper, barricaded the back door to the office before blasting his way into the newsroom with a shotgun.
Wes Adams, State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel County, told reporters outside the courthouse that prosecutors had turned over "some additional camera footage, some 9-1-1 calls and some EMT reports" to the defense for their review
