Results of a forensic psychological evaluation ordered by Butler County Common Pleas Judge Craig Hedric indicate Simon is competent to stand trial, meaning he understands the charges against him and is capable of assisting his attorney in his defense.
Hedric set June 2 as the trial date for the Lakota West High School junior.
Kraemer said he plans to present evidence to back up the insanity plea at trial.
Simon was originally charged in juvenile court, was sent for disposition in adult court due to his age and the seriousness of the crime. Last month, a grand jury indicted him on the first-degree crimes that carry a prison sentence of three to 10 years.
His parents, Perry and Sharon Simon, were in court this morning, as they have been for all of their son’s court appearances. They left following the brief hearing without comment.
On the night of Oct. 24, the honor-roll student, who was allegedly angry with his parents over his laptop being taken way, went to the basement of the family home, found rope left over from when he was a Boy Scout, and used it to tie his parent’s bedroom doors shut. He then retrieved a gas can from the garage and lit fires outside both rooms, according to evidence presented at a hearing in juvenile court last month.
Butler County Sheriff Detective Ron Owens said during the hearing that Simon told him, after lighting the fires, he packed a duffel bag of clothes, took his father’s cell phone and planned on “disappearing into the night.”
“He said he wanted a fresh start,” Owens said, adding Simon planned to pick up his girlfriend in Indiana.
A journal found in the nightstand of Simon’s room near the charred second-floor bedrooms of his parents detailed anger the teen had with his parents and himself, according to testimony given during the hearing.
Several pages of the journal were shown during the 30-minute hearing. Some writings included, “My parents are judgmental racist (expletive),” “I hate my parents, they don’t understand me. If only they would stop snooping around,” and “They need to stop controlling my life, I am not a puppet.”
Kraemer said after his client was indicted he believes the teen’s actions were not specifically to harm his parents.
“My thinking is that the journal as well as the actions were my client’s cry for help,” he said.
The teen is housed in the county juvenile detention center where he will remain while the case is pending in court.
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