JOSHUA HAGERMAN - 5 yo - Virginia Beach VA

A judge ruled Wednesday that Joseph Henry Hagerman III, who was
found not guilty by reason of insanity in the decapitation of his
5-year-old son, should remain in state custody.
His status is due for review again Aug. 18, 2010. Under state law,
Hagerman is permitted an annual review during the first five years of
confinement. In following years, review hearings are scheduled every
two years.
Hagerman, wearing blue jeans and a blue polo shirt, carried a Bible
and waved to relatives Wednesday as he entered the courtroom. He stared
ahead during most of the 30-minute hearing.
His history of mental illness, including current treatment for
paranoid schizophrenia, and doctors' determination that he posed a
"moderate" risk of harming himself or others required he be kept in
state custody, Circuit Judge Patricia West said.
Hagerman, 34, has been held at Central State Hospital in Petersburg
since Feb. 12, two days after he was charged with beheading his son and
slashing his wife as she tried to save the child.
West accepted his plea of not guilty by reason of insanity on May 20.
During Wednesday's review hearing, prosecutor Paul Powers said
Hagerman's current confinement marked his third stay in a secure mental
health facility in 10 years. He added that Hagerman told doctors he had
thoughts of escaping and that Hagerman had a history of reducing, or
stopping, his medication.
In January, Powers said, Hagerman's doctor changed his medicine
after he complained of side effects. Within weeks, Hagerman's family
noticed a shift in his behavior, according to a state psychologist's
report submitted to the court.
By early February, Hagerman became increasingly delusional and
obsessed with the biblical end of times. He was convinced the Anti
christ planned to torture his son, Joshua, into renouncing Jesus Christ
and then kill the child, the report said. Hagerman used a kitchen knife
to behead his son Feb. 10 and later described the act as necessary to
save his son's soul.
Although he is considered competent, Hagerman has not yet recovered
to the point of fully understanding, or coping with, his actions,
Powers said.
Defense attorney Sam Meekins said that with proper medication, Hagerman would not be a danger to himself or society.
"I would not want him to think the door has been forever shut," Meekins said. "There are ways he can be treated, controlled."
Prosecutors said they plan to oppose Hagerman's release indefinitely.

A man accused of decapitating his five-year-old son will remain in state custody.
Joseph Henry Hagerman III waived his review Wednesday, said Va. Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney spokeswoman Macie Pridgen.
Hagerman was found not guilty by reason of insanity in May 2009. He
was charged with murdering his son and slashing his wife when she tried
to save the boy.
Hagerman said he decapitated his son to save the boy from "the anti-Christ."
According to a state psychologist's report, Hagerman has a history of mental health issues.
Pridgen says a new review date hasn’t been set.