He'll be sentenced to 25 years to life next month in death of Eithen Theall.
Adam Theall, seen here in court in August, pleaded guilty today to second-degree murder for shooting and killing his 3-month-old son Eithen in front of state troopers.Utica, NY -- The Blossvale man accused of killing his three-month old son with a shotgun pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Oneida County Court this morning.
Adam Theall, 20, will be sentenced to 25 years to life in prison next month, the maximum allowed.
On June 22, Theall shot his son, Eithen, when state police arrived at his mother’s town of Vienna home on a domestic disturbance call. When he refused to surrender the weapon and pointed it at police, he was shot numerous times.
Theall was tearful throughout the morning’s court proceedings, often breaking into sobs. He repeatedly admitted to being under the influence of drugs during the incident, but did take responsibility for the death of his child.
“I was so high on drugs, I don’t remember,” Theall said. “It wasn’t meant to happen. It just happened.”
The public defender representing Theall said a clinical psychologist had deemed him competent to stand trial and could not support a defense based on “extreme emotional disturbance.”
Outside of court, relatives of Theall’s ex-girlfriend, Jamie Baker, said they doubted the sincerity of Theall’s emotional display in the courtroom.
“He’s crying for himself,” said Sandra Baker, who wore a pale blue ribbon and a photo of her grandson, Eithen Zethrey Theall, on her jacket. “May he rot in hell.”