Teen charged in school shooting pleads insanity
A teenager charged with 13 felonies in connection with a school shooting in Champaign County in January has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
The attorney for Ely Serna, whose charges include two counts of attempted murder and three of felonious assault, filed the paperwork in Champaign County Common Pleas Court last week.
Serna’s case was recently transferred from juvenile to adult court, and, at Serna’s arraignment on June 15, defense attorney Dennis Lieberman hinted that an insanity defense was his plan. Lieberman also is asking that statements Serna made to authorities — which the prosecutor has called a confession — immediately after the Jan. 20 shooting at West Liberty-Salem High School be thrown out.
Serna, 17, is accused of sneaking a shotgun into the school that morning and shooting fellow student Logan Cole twice, critically wounding him. Detectives said Cole was not the intended target but apparently surprised Serna in a restroom just after Serna had pulled on a mask and was preparing to leave with his gun. Authorities have never publicly detailed Serna’s plan or motive.
Another student suffered a minor wound from a ricocheting pellet when Serna fired into the hallway and into two classrooms, authorities have said.
One of the attemptedmurder charges is for Cole’s injuries. The other is for teacher Greg Thomas, who heard the gunshots in the restroom and ran to see what was happening. Authorities say that Serna fired at him but missed.
The insanity plea now kick-starts a series of mental evaluations.
Champaign County Common Pleas Judge Nick A. Selvaggio has set a trial date of Aug. 21. The judge said he wanted the trial finished before the start of the school year so that the district can put the incident behind it.