Psych center won't release accused killer

A Syracuse man found incompetent to stand trial in the 1987 shooting deaths of a co-worker and Dexter's police chief is unlikely to be released from a secure psychiatric center.

Jefferson County District Attorney Cindy F. Intschert has been advised by administrators of Hutchings Psychiatric Center, Syracuse, that Stuart R. Moss will not be released from the facility, where he is under court-ordered civil involuntary commitment.

"Basically, they have indicated they are not going to change his release status at this point," Mrs. Intschert said.

The district attorney's office had been notified by the facility in March that it was in the early stages of determining whether Moss could be released to an off-campus, nonsecure facility.

"I engaged in substantial correspondence and communication to provide them with information about what happened back in 1987, and about the court proceedings that have taken place since then, in an effort that they not change his release status," Mrs. Intschert said.

She included several letters from people voicing their concerns about the potential impact Moss's release could have on the community, Mrs. Intschert said.

Moss has been under involuntary commitment since 2002 after a state Supreme Court judge in Rochester ruled in 2001 that he was unlikely ever to be competent to stand trial for a Pillar Point shooting rampage that left Vincent J. Pietrowski and Dexter Police Chief Samuel A. Johnson dead.

Moss stood trial in 1989 after receiving psychiatric treatment. He was found guilty of gunning down Mr. Pietrowski and then ambushing Chief Johnson, who responded to a report of shots fired. He also was convicted of opening fire on passersby on Pillar Point and at a state police trooper during a subsequent shootout on Route 180. Moss was shot five times, including once in the head, before being captured by police.

A jury tossed an insanity defense but found he was, for the most part, under extreme emotional duress. He was sentenced to 462/3 years to life in state prison. However, the convictions were overturned in 1992 by the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court, Rochester, and most charges were thrown out.

Brought back to face a new trial in County Court, Moss was found incompetent to stand trial and sent to a Rochester hospital. A judge ruled in 2001 that he likely never would be found competent. It is not clear whether the head injuries suffered by Moss during the shootout contributed to the incompetency finding.

Mrs. Intschert said Moss's status at Hutchings is not permanent and is "subject to periodic review." She said if he were to be released at any point, she would review his competency evaluation to see whether he is competent to stand trial. He remains under indictment for the deaths of Mr. Pietrowski and Mr. Johnson and could face prosecution.

The village of Dexter dedicated a newly constructed pavilion on Fish Island to Mr. Johnson in September. More than 300 people attended the tribute to the former police chief.