Since Oct. 4, Colorado’s 22nd Judicial District Court has sought a sanity evaluation for Jeremiah P. Damron at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo. Now almost four months later, the defendant is still awaiting that evaluation while in custody at the Montezuma County Detention Center.
Damron, 38, was arrested July 20, 2017, after Cortez police and Sheriff Steve Nowlin found his mother’s body beaten and burned in the backyard of his mobile home on the 7000 block of County Road 21.75, near County Road G. Damron faces six counts, including first-degree murder after deliberation.
He pleaded guilty by reason of insanity on Oct. 2. The state is not seeking the death penalty, according to court records.
In court for a status conference Monday at 9 a.m., District Court Judge Todd Plewe said he received an email from CMHIP about 15 minutes before court was in session, stating the facility could admit Damron on Feb. 15. Plewe said if Pueblo does not transport Damron by that date, then he would issue an order to show cause, requiring the facility to explain the delay.
Damron’s public defender, John Moran, stated in court that Plewe initially requested the sanity evaluation on Oct. 4, then issued a second order on Nov. 20. As of Jan. 28, the defendant was still waiting at the county jail.
Moran said orders to show cause have been issued in other courts. On Jan. 23, Montezuma County Judge JenniLynn Lawrence issued CMHIP an order to show cause regarding delays in admitting an inmate with mental health issues who has harmed himself and others while in custody since April.
“Expressing frustration is the most we can do at this point,” Moran said.
Plewe made a record that CMHIP had satisfied his second order for a sanity evaluation on Nov. 20. On that same day, he said he received a letter from CMHIP requesting a time extension.
Maren Conway, a forensic psychologist at Colorado Mental Health Institute in Pueblo, has testified in court that her evaluation in February 2018 found Damron competent to proceed to trial. After working with Damron during his restorative treatment in Pueblo, she testified that without ongoing care, Damron’s condition could deteriorate, and he could experience psychotic episodes.
The second evaluation was requested because Damron has entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.
Plewe set another status conference for Feb. 19 and said he would continue that hearing if Damron is in Pueblo.
sdolan@the-journal.com