Stroke blamed for numerous charges

PALMER — It’s been more than three months since William Palmer was charged with pointing a gun at Alaska State Troopers, but in that time, his lawyer said Monday, he’s changed dramatically.

Defense attorney Craig Condie said at Palmer’s bail hearing that the day he was arrested — Sept. 5 — Palmer woke up and was far from lucid. He thought someone had stolen some of his guns. He told police dispatchers he was heading to Palmer — either by road or by river — to sort it out.

The incident escalated. While Palmer was making his report of stolen guns he and his girlfriend struggled over a firearm, which discharged while they were still on the phone. According to prosecutor Trina Sears, he threatened to choke his girlfriend and called her some nasty names. When troopers showed up, he pointed his gun at them.

All of that led to a litany of charges, including six of assaulting a police officer, one of assaulting his girlfriend and two of weapons misconduct. Court records show the assault count against his girlfriend was later dropped.

At his early court hearing, Condie said, Palmer was in such a state, so clearly out of it, that the judge wasn’t even sure if the hearing should proceed. But then somewhere along the line Palmer had surgery, which fixed him, Condie said.

Condie cited psychiatric and medical evaluations that said Palmer’s behavior — clearly out of character, given his lack of a criminal record in more than a decade living in Sutton — had a readily identifiable medical cause.

“What this was was dementia caused by a stroke,” Condie said. “Mr. Palmer does not pose any more of a threat now than he did before he had his stroke.”

He asked that the requirement a third party be appointed to watch over Palmer be dropped. Palmer didn’t need one anymore, Condie argued. And, anyway, Palmer isn’t going to run anywhere. He lives in a cabin and enjoys a quiet life, in which he keeps mostly to himself.

“Mr. Palmer and Sutton were made for each other,” Condie said. But Superior Court Judge Vanessa White worried that Palmer might have a relapse.

“A man of Mr. Palmer’s age and conditions who’s had one stroke is a candidate to have a second,” she said.

Noting that Palmer’s girlfriend — the same girlfriend with whom he struggled for the gun — had come to testify on his behalf, White asked why Condie hadn’t proposed that the girlfriend be appointed third party custodian.

“That would be a fine way to go,” Condie replied.

After talking with her, White decided that she would release Palmer into his girlfriend’s custody. She said what she really wanted to be sure of was that there was someone living with Palmer who could keep an eye on his mental state and alert police if a relapse were to occur.

“This is a very unusual event,” White said in making her order and explaining her reasons.

“The problem appears to be resolved,” but, the judge noted, she felt a need for caution because “the incident that led to Mr. Palmer’s arrest was a very significant incident.”

Palmer is due back in court on Wednesday.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.