"Guilty, sir," Moore told U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose, who can accept or reject the deal during the Dec. 12 sentencing. Rose ordered a pre-sentence investigation and asked for sentencing memos before he makes his decision.
Defense attorney Frank Malocu said Moore has suffered from mental illness for decades and that contributed to the shooting. But Malocu said Moore is now taking his medicine, doing well and that the plea was the "right outcome to the case."
Moore's daughter, wife and mother attended the hearing. They stressed that Moore didn't enter the VA that day to threaten former co-workers about having an "inappropriate relationships" with his wife and daughter — also VA employees — as court paperwork indicated.
Sheryl Moore, Moore's wife, said she was being harassed at work, and "that caused the delirium and that somebody was messing with his family."
Moore shot former co-worker Paul Burnside in his leg after confronting several VA workers May 5 while they were playing cards in a break room of Building 330. Prosecutors said Moore pointed a loaded .38 caliber revolver and said: "Don't mess with my family."
Moore's intent was to "hold the ex-co-workers at gunpoint while he punched them with his right hand," according to court documents.
The maximum sentence for the federal count of assault with a dangerous weapon is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If he had been found guilty of both charges in the original indictment, Moore could have been sentenced to maximum penalties of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
"Obviously, it's a tragedy," assistant U.S. attorney Dwight Keller said. "(Moore) himself is a vet; he is a longtime, recently retired employee of the Veterans Administration's Medical Center. I thought that that was ultimately a fair resolution for all parties concerned."
Moore's attorneys had filed paperwork with the court that they would rely on an insanity defense, writing that Moore had a "lengthy history of mental illness, including schizophrenia and post traumatic stress disorder."
Moore's mental health was evaluated at a New York facility, and Friday's hearing began with Rose's ruling that Moore was competent to stand trial. Moore worked at the VA for 27 years and was a former U.S. Marine who was honorably discharged after four years.
"He's been a good family man," Malocu said. "He's been a hard worker for the government, and he's supported his family quite well for many, many years."
Moore's wife was happy no one was killed and that she — despite recently losing her own job at the VA — will be OK during her husband's prison term.
"It could have been a lot worse," Sheryl Moore said. "Our family's been through an awful lot and we're all going to stand by him no matter how long it takes."
UPDATE, 3:03 p.m.: Accused Dayton VA Medical Center shooter Neil R. Moore pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon on Friday in federal court.
U.S. District Court Judge Thomas M. Rose accepted Moore's guilty plea.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed to a stipulated sentence of 5.5 years with no fine, which Rose can accept or reject at sentencing.
Defense attorney Frank Malocu said Moore was taking his medicine, doing well and that the plea was the "right outcome to the case."
As part of the plea agreement with prosecutors, a count of use of a deadly weapon during the commission of a crime of violence was dismissed. The maximum sentence for that count is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
If he had been found guilty of both charges in the original indictment, Moore could have been sentenced to maximum penalties of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Moore's attorneys had filed paperwork with the court that they would rely on an insanity defense.
Moore's attorneys wrote that Moore had a "lengthy history of mental illness, including schizophrenia and post traumatic stress disorder."
Moore's mental health was evaluated at a New York facility and Friday's hearing started with a ruling that Moore was found competent to stand trial.
Moore worked at the VA for 27 years and was a former U.S. Marine who was honorably discharged after four years.
Moore allegedly shot former co-worker Paul Burnside in his leg after Moore thought other VA employees were having inappropriate relations with his wife and daughter, both of whom had worked there.
Moore allegedly confronted several VA workers while they were playing cards in a break room of Building 330, pointed a loaded .38 caliber gun and said: "Don't mess with my family."
Moore's intent was to "hold the ex-co-workers at gun point while he punched them with his right hand," according to court documents."
FIRST TAKE
Dayton Veteran Affairs Medical Center shooting suspect Neil R. Moore is expected to enter a guilty plea today, court officials announced.
Moore, 59, of Trotwood, will appear in Dayton's federal court in front of U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Rose this afternoon, and will plead guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon stemming from the shooting incident at the VA May 5, according to a press release.
Moore has been incarcerated without bond since he was arrested after allegedly shooting a former co-worker at the VA Medical Center, where Moore worked for 27 years.
Court documents indicated that Moore walked into the VA and pointed a loaded .38 caliber revolver at a group of employees playing cards and said: "Don't mess with my family." Moore thought employees were having inappropriate relations with his wife and daughter, both of whom have worked at the VA Center, according to the documents.
Moore's intent was "to hold the ex-co-workers at gun point while he punched them with his right hand," according to court documents. He allegedly shot former co-worker Paul Burnside, 61, in his leg.
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