By Scott J. Bennett
SCHOHARIE — Brian Goodrich, the accused, sits in the Schoharie County Courtroom. Paintings of judges past hang high on the masterfully crafted wooden walls as if looking down at the proceedings.
This only adds to the immense importance of the proceedings, a hallowed process that is our best attempt at administering justice and maybe arriving at an understanding of the truth. Nowhere near an easy task.
It has been said that the “wheels of justice turn slowly, but grind exceedingly fine.” For the residents of West Fulton and especially those affected by the alleged crimes of the accused, the first half of that statement has so far proven true. Brian Goodrich stands trial for firing shots from a hunting rifle at a neighbor’s household, a business, and two separate local firehouses back in March of 2022.
These wheels turn slowly for good reason. The process handed down from countless trials and legal proceedings carries with it the expectation of fair and impartial justice. It’s an ancient process; the burden on its participants is visible in this case.
We have a case before us with broad and profound implications. Even onto a national level. The defendant has confessed to committing the crimes that frightened neighbors and disrupted the peace on the otherwise bucolic mountain hamlet of West Fulton. Some have moved away as a result.
Serious financial damage costing over $50,000 has been tallied. The damaged Emergency vehicles, pool, and refrigeration units and inventory of the Sap Bush Hollow Farm Honor Store have since been repaired or remediated.
But the matter of mental health is the chief concern here. Brian Goodrich, the defendant, had motivations that, according to the defense require sensitive handling, “he belongs in a hospital, not a prison cell,” said defense attorney Ryan Finn who is seeking an affirmative defense. This man’s future hangs in the balance.
Alleged delusions of persecution associated with mental illness may be the reason why the property was damaged and neighbors were terrorized. It is for the jury to decide whether the defendant was capable of determining right from wrong. But first, they must be selected.
The jury selection process requires that the defense, managed by Ryan Finn and the prosecutorial team led by Susan Mallery ferret out and exclude those prospective jurors who might be found to have a bias of some kind that could impact their judgment.
What makes a juror fit for duty? It seems to come down to their unique life story. People from all walks of life are summoned. In their role as jurors, they must be able to put aside circumstances in their stories that might muddle otherwise objective judgment.
There are laws in place here that serve as a guide to procedures that would suffer from confusion. This confusion is avoided by the oversight and handling of this process by Judge Ryan McAllister. You’d be hard-pressed to guess that he was recently elected to the role in which he sits.
Each decision is carefully weighed and executed. Questions that deal primarily with combating bias are asked in general and sometimes to specific prospective jurors. The questions asked regarding employment, social and familial connections, as well as their views on certain issues pertaining to the case.
Views on mental illness and gun control are sought after and examined for potential bias. The defense peered on with intensity as questions were asked in order to carefully read the jurors reactions. Every detail must be taken into account. Over 130 prospective jurors were summoned in order to fairly arrive at the suitable 12 and alternates. Some were excused and others excluded. By the second day, December 5th, a jury had been obtained.
Somewhere in all these details lies the truth. Beautiful and mysterious, sometimes hard to know. The truth appears to be that Brian Goodrich committed these crimes against his neighbors. His own admission and the physical evidence collected by highly trained NYS troopers attest to this. Understanding the motivations for these crimes requires a journey down a rabbit hole that the defendant himself tumbled down.
Examination provided the corroboration of the damage, the cost, and a window into the state of mind of the defendant. It didn’t take long for the NYS troopers conducting the investigation into the shootings to find Mr. Goodrich as the principal suspect. His distinct-sounding car, a red Chevy Cobalt, and driving patterns lead police to his home.
The Troopers approached his home facing unknown dangers. For them, that’s part of the day-to-day, but this situation was especially risky. When they reached the back door of the home on West Fulton Road they were greeted with an unusual encounter. They did not see Mr. Goodrich but only heard his voice as he directed them to read his so-called manifestos: two documents reportedly dozens of pages in length.
The manifestos made allegations. Damning allegations that spoke of conspiracy in the highest levels of our State and Federal government. He was being surveilled because he alone possessed knowledge of a Civil War-era train car filled with gold totaling over $200,000,000, a local urban legend.
He believed they (various agencies including the NYS troopers, used drones, telecom, and television technologies to keep 24/7 hr tabs on him). He shot at the homes, businesses, and firehouses because he was striking back against those who were “against” him. Or so he claimed.
Upon finally gaining entry into the home with the assistance of another party present the troopers found the home littered with various weapons. After the suspect was coaxed out of the bathroom in which he had locked himself police further secured the scene and the suspect. 23 Firearms were collected from the home including a high capacity 20 round .308 magazine. And then in their diligent search they found the grenades.
Upon finding the grenades it was determined that they must call in the Bomb Disposal Unit which is equipped and trained to deal with such potentially explosive situations. The grenades were later determined to be inert and the entire weapons cache was taken for safekeeping.
In a twist both equally ironic and tragic. Mr Goodrich actually ended up under surveillance. This time though it was bodycam footage taken by the NYS troopers, clips of which were admitted as evidence during examination.
In a heated exchange, difficult to keep pace with, Ryan Finn for the defense questioned NYS trooper Molle to corroborate aspects of the defendant’s behavior. The defense asked if he seemed “Manic?” For those unaware, Mania or acting manic is an elevated mood state of Bipolar Disorder.
Mania can lead to a cascade of symptoms including poor or severely impaired judgment, impulsivity, and even full-blown psychosis which is a state that can best be described as a disconnection from reality.
Molle was careful to answer only to that of which she could be certain. She did mention his speech was “pressured,” another common symptom of Mania. The video footage reflected that kind of speech in which he swore and spoke about his perceived persecution. But perhaps the most telling aspect of the video was one clip where he mentioned “they’re all gone,” and no one was there to help him.
Defense mentioned during the examination that six months prior to the shootings on March 20th he, the defendant, was taken on a 945 call for a psych evaluation. The evidence and testimonies are consistent with the defense’s assertion that he was delusional. One thing appears crystal clear: Mr. Goodrich needed help finding his way out of a delusion or dangerous rabbit hole that he was lost in.
This case speaks to the possible need for so-called Red Flag laws. This case speaks to the rights of the mentally ill and the responsibility they face in the commission of crimes while under mental disease or defect. This case speaks to the dangers posed and the risk to society at large. But ultimately this case was a cry for help. The court will decide just how that cry is answered.
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