Rhinelander-area man accused of attempted murder pleads insanity
Steven Fletcher to undergo psychological examination
STAR JOURNAL REPORT
A 46-year-old Rhinelander-area man accused of trying to shoot his ex-girlfriend’s son at an apartment complex in the town of Pelican shortly before midnight March 11 had his lawyer enter a plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect on his behalf Monday in Oneida County Circuit Court.
Steven J. Fletcher, who is free on a $30,000 cash bond with the added condition he may not enter the residence of his ex-girlfriend and ex-girlfriend’s son, is scheduled back in court June 5 for a status conference. As a result of the plea, Judge Michael H. Bloom ordered Fletcher to be examined by Dr. Michael Galli, a clinical psychologist.
Fletcher faces felony charges of attempted first-degree intentional homicide and armed burglary as well as misdemeanor counts of possessing of a firearm while intoxicated, disorderly conduct and criminal damage to property. Upon conviction, the attempted murder charge alone carries a maximum possible penalty of 40 years of initial confinement in prison, followed by 20 years of extended supervision.
Fletcher is accused of being intoxicated the night of March 11 when he drove to an apartment complex on Cranes Road and entered the apartment where he shot at his ex-girlfriend’s son, who then was able to wrestle the gun away from Fletcher and took it to a friend’s apartment.
His ex-girlfriend had been asleep in the apartment when Fletcher allegedly broke in and she woke up to loud bangs and screaming before Fletcher ran out of the residence after having his gun taken away.
The sheriff’s department investigation at the scene found a bullet entered a coffee table inside the apartment along with a wood splinter and lead fragment in the carpet, while a bullet casing was also located in the apartment, according to a sheriff’s department report.
A Ruger semi-automatic pistol reportedly fired in the apartment and wrestled away from Fletcher was also recovered and taken as evidence.
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