Comments:

The Story - 2005-02-20 00:39:04


By Brenda English, Press Staff Writer

Billy Edward Hardesty, accused in the murders of five persons and the wounding of two others, will undergo psychiatric testing to determine whether he is competent to stand trial on January 29, 1979.

Hardesty, 21, of Van Buren Township, stood mute today at his arraignment before Circuit Court Judge William Ager Jr., while the court entered a not guilty plea on Hardesty�s behalf.

Ager then approved a motion be Hardesty�s attorney�s to send Hardesty to the Center for Forensic Psychiatry.

Ager also set Hardesty�s bond on the two counts of assault with intent to commit murder at $50,000. Hardesty is being held without bond on the murder counts.

Judge Ager set a Jan. 12 date for a pre-trial hearing on the seven counts against Hardesty. Ager told Hardesty�s attorneys that the pre-trial and trial dates will stand as set unless Hardesty�s psychiatric testing requires a delay.

Ager put a 60-day limit on Hardesty�s stay at the forensic center, before Hardesty goes to trial on all seven counts before Circuit Judge Ross W. Campbell.

Hardesty, who was brought to the Washtenaw County Building from St. Joseph Hospital where he is recovering from bullet wounds received during his capture by police, sat in the courtroom in a wheelchair.

Hardesty showed no emotion or reaction during the reading of the charges against him by Washtenaw County Prosecuting Attorney William F. Delhey or at the judge�s decision.

William Hidenfelter, one of the two defense attorneys, said after the hearing that he is uncertain when Hardesty will be transferred to the forensic center, since Hardesty is still in need of hospital care.

Hardesty is accused of killing his parents, Ron and Jan Hardesty, at their Van Buren Township home Oct. 18, before beginning an overnight shooting spree.
* * * * * * * * * * * *

Laura - 2005-02-20 00:55:30
Hardesty was sentenced in 1981 and is in prison for life in Muskegon. Here's the OTIS link to Hardesty that Dan kindly provided last week. Now 48, he's spent over half his life in prison and will never be released.
* * * * * * * * * * * *

Eric * - 2005-02-20 08:12:00
Even if you correctly give credit to the author, it's a copyright violation and consequently illegal to post an entire newspaper article on the web.
* * * * * * * * * * * *

Anna - 2005-02-20 09:46:55
Eric, pardon me, but don't you have business of your own that needs tending? Really, what is the matter with you? Are you a career crumudgeon? An ex-boyfriend in disguise? Do you have a crush on Ypsidixit and not enough money for a dozen roses? What gives?

Et hem. Anyway, Delhey was also the prosecutor in the JNC case. I think he died last year. Lots of action, for a sleepy corner of the world...
* * * * * * * * * * * *

Anna - 2005-02-20 09:58:28
By the way, news is subject to fair use, and beside, any articles written before 1979 (if this article was written in december, 1978, for example) are part of the public domain unless the copyright was renewed.
* * * * * * * * * * * *

Laura - 2005-02-20 10:06:05
Eric *, after 25 years copyrighted articles like these become public-domain items. It's OK for me to post these.

Anna: the thought of a dozen roses from Eric * fairly staggers the imagination--maybe in a parallel universe. Besides, if I recall right, somewhere along the line he mentioned he was married. At any rate, Eric * is, I have to say, one of my favorite commentors. I can't fault him for curmudgeonliness since I'm so cranky myself so often. And he often brings up good counterpoints that push some discussion forward or sharpen its focus. He was right about the Kim Carnes "spaz" question, a correction that, while not measurably moving forward the sum total of mankind's knowledge, still cleared up my incorrect idea. He's very welcome here so far as I'm concerned. All viewpoints welcome.
* * * * * * * * * * * *

Anna - 2005-02-20 11:04:55
I am glad he doesn't bother you, and I wouldn't dream of trying to tell people who should visit your blog. But his constant stream of sniping and negativity annoys me. Anyway, I've said too much, so ___.
* * * * * * * * * * * *

YD - 2005-02-20 17:08:52
Eric. Is your neck pencil shaped?
* * * * * * * * * * * *

Laura - 2005-02-20 18:29:35
Anna, I think it is kind of you to come to my defense, and I am flattered by that. You also are one of my favorite commentors with your well-considered, insightful comments. But anyone who blogs has to accept the fact that the door is wide open and anyone can come by. Besides, I like hearing a variety of opinions, whether they agree with me or not.

Eric * is welcome at the table so far as I'm concerned. Though I'm not holding my breath waiting for roses from him. Which is fine, given the environmental unfriendliness of flower farms, but that's a subject for another time.
* * * * * * * * * * * *

Laura - 2005-02-20 19:18:54
YD: you are also an all-time favorite commentor, with your unblinking comments on the grittier side of Ypsi life which are written so well and so powerfully that it makes me wish you were a freelance writer so that you'd get paid for it. I'm not sure if you realize what a good writer you are, just in my humble opinion. But I do wish I could read a book of your portraits of the people you've known & the experiences you've had in Ypsi. I'd buy that book in a flash. At any rate, Eric *'s contributions are OK with me, though I note with gratitude your comments in defense of me. �
* * * * * * * * * * * *

Laura - 2005-02-20 19:22:41
At any rate: Hardesty. I noted in the Ypsi Press editions I was reading on microfilm that there were lots of news stories about shots being fired here and there in various incidents...many more than you'd expect today. It seems, as someone remarked previously, that Ypsi used to be a much woolier town than it is today. Judging by the media coverage, that is.
* * * * * * * * * * * *

Laura - 2005-02-21 02:10:23
Anna: you've not said too much; you're always welcome to comment, whether to critique or not. At any rate.
* * * * * * * * * * * *

add your comment:

your name:
your email:
your url:

back to the entry - Diaryland