TexasCHLforum.com

Eighteen years is enough, said William “Bill” Sutherland.

Sutherland has been confined to state psychiatric centers since October 2000, when he pleaded "not responsible by reason of mental illness" to a felony arson charge. Fire investigators said he started a fire that caused $100,000 damage to an apartment house at 857 Delaware Ave., owned by Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino.

The building was occupied by about 15 people, police said, but no one was injured.

Sutherland’s “not responsible” plea enabled him to avoid prison, but a judge ordered him held in the custody of the state Office of Mental Health for at least six months.

Six months in a psychiatric hospital turned into 18-plus years.

According to state officials, there are approximately 495 inpatients like Sutherland confined to New York psychiatric facilities

rotor wrote: Tue Jan 08, 2019 9:05 am I read the same article you did. I don't see that the state made a mistake in this case. There are crazy people out there and this guy is one of them.