Michael Luebrecht, the child murdering Fort Jennings man who decided that his 13 month old son was eviedently not deserving of life, and therefore drown him in a bathtub, will be facing a trial come Febuary. The final pretrial will be on the 8th of that month, will the hearing to begin on the 21st. The 8th is the deadline for any plea negotiations. I am content on hoping that there is not a plea deal made in this case.Source HERE
Luebrecht pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity during his first pretrial in June. Putnam County Sheriff’s Office deputies said Luebrecht picked 13-month-old Joel Michael from the baby sitter and brought the child home to a bathroom. He then drowned the child, admitting to that during a chilling 911 telephone conversation. The case remains eligible for the death penalty if a jury finds Luebrecht guilty. Luebrecht appeared in the green-and-white-striped uniform of the Putnam County Jail. He nodded toward his wife, Amy, as he entered the courtroom, and he quietly but firmly answered “yes” or “no” to a series of questions ensuring his understanding of waiving a speedy trial. Prosecutor Gary Lammers and defense attorney William Kluge each told Basinger they received a copy of Luebrecht’s mental health evaluation, the result of recent tests taken at Court Diagnostic and Treatment Center of Toledo. Kluge said he’d seek an additional evaluation, and Basinger asked him to file a request for that evaluation by Aug. 29. Kluge also requested hiring a mitigation expert for the case. Basinger said he wanted to see the hourly rates and likely final expenses before approving the costs for Luebrecht, an indigent who can’t afford his own attorney. Basinger also asked the sides to re-evaluate whether Luebrecht had enough equity in real estate to pay for his own defense. “There has been some question asked whether or not the defendant actually meets the indigent standard,” Basinger said. Family friends say Luebrecht recently changed medication before the death of his youngest son. His wife and father generally sit behind him during court appearances, but they had to move to the other side of the courtroom Monday because other inmates needed to sit in the front row.
For more on this case please see left column on page, and follow links. This truly is one of the omst unsettling cases to me. And you can clearly see on those links why it is that I have such issue with his insanity plea. Still hoping as always that the jury sees past this mans half baked attempt to get away with murder and not only finds him guilty but sentences him to death.
Categories: murders, Luebrecht
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