If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and would like to talk with an advocate, call 866-834-4357, TTY 1-800-437-1220. This free, confidential service is available 24/7 and is accessible from anywhere in Maine.
A Massachusetts man who claimed an insanity defense for killing his girlfriend at a York beach may settle the case before his trial.
Attorneys met earlier this month to talk about a possible settlement in the case of Jeffrey Buchannan, according to the Portsmouth Herald.
Buchannan is accused of beating Rhonda Pattelena of Massachusetts to death with a rock at Short Sands Beach in March 2021.
Buchannan told police he saw a man running toward him and that he felt threatened, according to court documents.
He then said he “blacked out” and when he came to, he was breathing heavily and Pattelena was on the ground.
An advocate for domestic violence victims in York County spoke to the victim’s family and friends in 2021, and they alleged Buchannan had a history of control and dominance over Pattelena.
Pattelena was the mother of three boys, and Buchannan was the father of the youngest boy.
Buchannan has been in prison since the crime in 2021 and previously pleaded not criminally responsible.
Buchannan faces an indefinite stay in a state psychiatric hospital if his insanity plea is accepted or a minimum of 25 years in prison if the case goes to trial.
