Man charged in fatal stabbing committed to mental hospital
The murder case for the man accused of randomly killing a Madison man in Greenfield has been suspended for up to a year while he receives mental health treatment.
Amando E. Lang, 19, of Greenfield admitted to stabbing Ben Christianson, 49, in the neck in an unprovoked attack in Greenfield in August, according to the criminal complaint.
Lang told police he believed Christianson was going to murder his family, the complaint said. Two of Lang’s family members and an officer familiar with him also said Lang had potential mental health issues and was not taking medication.
A doctor’s report said Lang is incompetent to proceed with his court case, but if he were provided with treatment, he would likely become competent within 12 months, according to online court records.
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Jeffrey A. Wagner suspended the case for up to a year and committed Lang to the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Family Services, records said.
Wagner stipulated that he receive doctor’s reports on Lang’s progress every three months.
In the criminal complaint, Lang’s sister said he might have autism and had been in a state of psychosis for some time prior to the attack. The Greenfield officer who was familiar with Lang before the attack also said he was “highly paranoid and possibly schizophrenic.”