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Uploaded: Friday, June 12, 2009, 9:54 AM
Van Bragt sentenced to 25 years to life
Man committed to state hospital for murder of mother's friend
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by Sue Dremann
Palo Alto Online Staff
Herman "Tim" Van Bragt was sentenced to spend what could be the rest of his life in a state mental hospital on Thursday for the stabbing death of his mother's gentleman friend.
Van Bragt, 46, sat passively in a red jumpsuit and chains in Santa Clara County Superior Court as Judge Rise Jones Pichon read the verdict. Van Bragt will spend 25 years to life in a state hospital after being declared guilty by reason of insanity for killing Robert Haggquist, 72. An additional year was added on as an enhancement for using a knife. He will receive 461 days credit for time already served.
Judge Pichon said Van Bragt would remain in the hospital until deemed sane by doctors and could then appeal to the court for his release.
Van Bragt, who has a history of mental illness, pleaded "no contest" on May 19 to stabbing Haggquist to death at his mother's home on March 7, 2008. Van Bragt had returned to Palo Alto from Auburn after having a dream that Haggquist was trying to kill his mother, Electra Van Bragt. He killed Haggquist after his mother had gone out to dinner with her son's girlfriend. Two court-appointed psychiatrists found Van Bragt met the statutes of insanity, Lane Liroff, deputy district attorney has said.
The California Department of Mental Health will decide which state hospital Van Bragt will reside in and he could be moved there in the next week, according to Traci Owens, his defense attorney. She said there would not be an appeal.Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.
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Posted by Margaret, a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood, on Jun 12, 2009 at 2:18 pm As always, there are no winners in this story (unless, perhaps, the public feels safer with this poor man behind bars). The mother has lost her friend; she undoubtedly lost her son to his disease many years ago. The dead man's family must deal with their loss; and Mr Van Bragt loses his freedom for the rest of his life, unless he is at some time "deemed sane". Mental illness is exactly that - an illness. It needs treatment. Mental health services are vital to the well-being of individuals who suffer from psychopathological disease, and to our communities. Any cuts in funding for mental health services is dangerous and shortsighted.
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Posted by Cynthia, a resident of East Palo Alto, on Jun 13, 2009 at 1:46 am [Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
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Posted by Maria, a resident of another community, on Jun 13, 2009 at 3:33 pm I'm this poor men's wife now.I know him very well by been in a relationship for 8 years now, and I know that he is not the kind of MONSTER that the most of people has had in their minds. we where going to get married before all this,,,,I when there all the time visiting him while been in Jail every single Week, for more than a Year now, he didn't deserve what he where going on through this really tough situation, all he need is been in as much as he needs on medication
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Posted by thaddeus, a resident of the Greenmeadow neighborhood, on Jun 25, 2009 at 3:46 pm To Maria, above - "he didn't deserve what he where going on..."
Then exactly what DOES he deserve??
I don't know if he is a monster or not. I tend to follow the philosophy that you ARE what you DO.
And we need to emphazise the importance that, if you are that sick, that taking your medication is NOT optional. For those who stop or skip it, there need to be serious sanctions to deal with them before they do the kind of monstrous things they sometimes do.
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Posted by Member name, a resident of another community, on Jan 17, 2013 at 2:11 pm Thank God
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Posted by member name, a resident of another community, on Jan 17, 2013 at 2:14 pm his mother is just a much to blame for her lack of action in getting here son help as he was vary obviously manic before the killing
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