Mother starts petition to draw attention to son’s death
The mother of the 31-year-old Eastern Pequot Tribal member allegedly shot and killed by his cousin in 2017 has started an online petition in an attempt to gain wider public attention to the lack of prosecution of her son’s accused killer, James Armstrong.
The “petition to secure arrested murderer,” was started by Katherine Sebastian Dring, the former chairwoman of the tribe and mother of Ralph Sebastian Sidberry, who was fatally shot at his home in North Stonington on April 12, 2017. Sidberry’s pregnant wife and 8-month-old child were home at the time of the killing.
Police said Armstrong was delusional and shot Sidberry because he thought he was spreading HIV among tribal members. Sidberry, tests show, did not have HIV.
Because of indications that the Middletown Probate Court is considering Armstrong’s release into supportive housing without a trial, Sebastian Dring said she is calling for Armstrong to be held indefinitely or until his competency is restored and he can stand trial for murder.
The petition on change.org is directed to the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, which oversees the civil commitment of Armstrong at Whiting Forensic Hospital in Middletown.
Armstrong remains charged with murder but never tried in a criminal court because of his mental illness and a ruling that he is not competent
The “petition to secure arrested murderer,” was started by Katherine Sebastian Dring, the former chairwoman of the tribe and mother of Ralph Sebastian Sidberry, who was fatally shot at his home in North Stonington on April 12, 2017.
to stand trial and “not restorable,” meaning he may never be competent.
Recent testimony in New London Superior Court about Armstrong’s possible release from the hospital into supportive housing has raised concerns about public safety from state prosecutors and prompted a statement from Eastern Pequot Tribal Chairman Mitchel Ray warning tribal members of the potential dangers of Armstrong’s release.
The Middletown Probate Court has jurisdiction on decisions related to Armstrong’s commitment and those proceedings are closed to the public.
Sebastian Dring said the main purpose of the petition “is to gain support from the public of this grave injustice and to secure James Armstrong, an arrested murderer, in civil commitment indefinitely until deemed competent to stand trial for the murder of my son...”
The petition also highlights various facets of DMHAS evaluation reports of Armstrong that Sebastian Dring says “illuminate the arbitrary and irrational reasoning of the psychiatric team to find that James is incompetent to stand trial but able to be released.”
Sebastian Dring said there are indications in the report that Armstrong is smart enough to know that by avoiding the criminal courts he can avoid a court-ordered commitment in the high-security division of Whiting under the supervision of the state Psychiatric Security Review Board.
The petition by Friday evening had gained nearly 300 signatures.
Armstrong is due to appear March 1 in New London Superior Court. Assistant State’s Attorney Theresa Anne Ferryman was previously granted a request to have an independent competency evaluation of Armstrong.