2015 shooting rampage suspect appears in court through FaceTime, but refuses to talk

7 years ago

BANGOR, Maine — The man accused of killing two people and wounding four others during an 18-hour shooting rampage in 2015, made a Thursday court appearance behind closed doors through a cellphone because he didn’t want to get out of bed, Superior Court Justice Ann Murray said. 

A Maine State Prison official’s cellphone was taken into Anthony Lord’s cell so his lawyer could call him using FaceTime, a video chat service.

But Lord refused to talk or even roll over in bed.

“The FaceTime was not successful because the defendant would not participate,” Assistant Attorney General Leane Zainea said.

Shortly after the call ended, Murray reconvened court and ordered a psychological exam for Lord, 36, of Houlton and Crystal. Lord is accused of shooting five people, killing two of them, beating another man and kidnapping a woman he knew.

Murray spoke to Lord by videoconference from the prison on Wednesday, and she agreed to allow him to appear by video again for the Thursday hearing over whether to suppress evidence.

When Lord refused to leave his cell, his lawyers tried to get him to appear through FaceTime to see whether he would waive his right to appear during the hearing, which would have allowed the motion to suppress to go forward without him. The judge postponed the hearing after the failed video chat.

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