Detectives later found a list of instructions in his apartment written in blood. If Eitzen determines Strandberg was insane at the time of the killing, he will be civilly committed to state custody until he is cured of his mental illness, which Beaver described as paranoid schizophrenia. He asked Beaver if it was possible that Strandberg created the story about delusions to get out of the criminal ramifications for his actions.
Earlier in the day, Eitzen ruled that Strandberg was too dangerous to remain unshackled in the courtroom following testimony that included descriptions how he punched one correctional deputy in the head, head butted a mental health professional during an interview and how another deputy suffered a broken bone in his neck during a previous effort to extract Strandberg from his cell. But several witnesses, including Sgt.
Hill, said Strandberg has not acted out since he started his latest medical regimen. Despite the lack of recent problems transporting Strandberg, Eitzen ruled that he must be restrained in such a way that would not allow the jury to see the shackles to avoid prejudicing the defendant during the murder trial, if one takes place.
The case began Jan. Cipolla asked whether that statement itself showed that Strandberg had an understanding of right and wrong. Defense attorney Chris Bugbee asked Beaver to list the tortured history of contacts between his client, who grew up in the Ferry County community of Republic, and mental health professionals and law enforcement.
As early as Strandberg was telling doctors that he believed people were watching him. He also said he saw shadows and had thoughts about killing other people.
When he lost his temper and yelled at his mother, his parents sent him back to Spokane early. One doctor said he had a personality disorder and exhibited signs of slight mental retardation, Barbara Strandberg said. Cole attended school in Curlew through the third grade, then was homeschooled until the seventh grade, when he attended a private school for a year before enrolling at a public school.
He got into the Shamrock Educational Academy — a private school in Newman Lake — but ran away after just a few months. His parents sent him to a psychologist, who said he was slightly mentally retarded and had a personality disorder that would take months to assess, Barbara Strandberg said.
She grew frustrated with the mental health services in rural Eastern Washington, which she said never seemed to take her concerns about her son seriously. He stayed at the facility for about a year. Strandberg and her husband fought with Cole to get him to take his medications.
When he turned 18, they struggled to get his cooperation on things like applying for Social Security assistance. At one point, he checked himself into the Scared Heart Medical Center for mental health treatment but ran away.
He was released one day after he returned, his mother said. Cole spent nearly a year in jail a couple years ago after being convicted of taking a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property, third-degree assault and resisting arrest. He moved to Spokane after his release, where Barbara Strandberg said he had access to better mental health services. He got involved with the Coalition of Responsible Disabled, which helped him find an apartment.
Barbara Strandberg called his case manager with Spokane County and asked her to check on her son. When she called back, the case manager said something was terribly wrong and that police would be contacting her shortly.
Strandberg worries about Cole getting the help he needs while in jail — such as regular medication. Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are not tax deductible, but are predominately used to help meet the local financial requirements needed to receive national matching-grant funds.
Cuniff Staff writer. Cole K.
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