Hawaii man found not guilty due to insanity in mom’s killing an hour ago

LIHUE, Hawaii (AP) — A Hawaii man accused of stabbing his mother to death inside a Kauai bank has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Louis Landsman was acquitted of second-degree murder Tuesday in the death of Charlene Landsman in May 2018.

Charlene Landsman, 69, was a teller at the First Hawaiian Bank in Lihue when she was stabbed multiple times in front of witnesses.

Judge Randal Valenciano determined Louis Landsman was “substantially impaired” by illness and not responsible for his actions at the time.

His lawyer, Melinda Mendes, argued “extenuating circumstances,” noting that Landsman did not dispute the charges against him.

Landsman will be held in the state hospital on Oahu for an unspecified amount of time. He could be released in the future if physicians determine he no longer poses a public safety threat and the court clears his release.

“The reality is, that’s not expected to happen anytime soon,” Mendes told The Garden Island .

A panel of mental health experts had found Landsman fit for legal proceedings last September, leading to a trial getting scheduled for last month. Landsman later waived his right to a jury trial, agreeing to let the judge decide.

Witnesses at a preliminary hearing testified that Landsman had visited the bank multiple times on the day of the attack, escalating a disagreement with his mother.

On the third visit, Landsman had a “large, hunting-type knife” and stabbed his mother, Kauai County authorities said. Charlene Landsman later died at the hospital.