This from this morning's Daily Local News:
On Monday, John G. Ciardelli — a single man with a string of crimes dating back to the late 1970s — pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the charge of arson that endangers persons. In accepting the plea agreement that had been worked out between the prosecution and Ciardelli’s attorney, Judge Phyllis Streitel sentenced the 57-year-old man to six to 12 years in prison, followed by eight years’ of probation.
Ciardelli had spent several months in Norristown State Hospital being evaluated by mental health experts there following his arrest in May 2010. He had been deemed incompetent to stand trial by a defense expert who said he suffered from schizophrenia and paranoia, but found competent by a prosecution psychiatrist, who said he suffered from pyromania.
The money quote:
"He had reportedly defended himself against charges of attempted homicide by saying he had warned employees in the store that he meant to set the fire before doing so."Read the entire Daily Local story here:
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