By Cris Italia
We don't know yet whether his lawyers will enter a plea of insanity, said Nassau County District Attorney spokesman, Rick Hinshaw. By entering a not guilty' plea, he's not acknowledging the crime and we won't be able to establish a motive.
District Attorney Dennis Dillon has not decided yet if he will seek the death penalty. If Troy is proven to be mentally disabled, by law he cannot be sentenced to death. If his lawyers decided on an insanity plea, it will be up to the jury to decide whether he should be charged with the murders, Hinshaw said.
The 34-year-old suspect was charged with the March 12 shooting deaths of the Rev. Lawrence Penzes and parishioner Eileen Tosner. Troy was indicted on May 7 on two counts of murder in the first degree. He was also charged with four counts of murder in the second degree, and two counts of recklessly engaging in conduct which, evincing a depraved indifference to human life, created a grave risk of death to each of the victims. In addition, Troy was hit with one count of attempted murder in the first degree, because he lunged at a police officer with a knife while he was being apprehended.
Troy entered Our Lady of Peace on March 12, and shot Rev. Penzes with a .22 caliber rifle during morning Mass. Close to 40 parishioners attended the Mass and saw Penzes fall from his wounds at the altar.
After an investigation, police found what is believed was a death list. The list included names of random potential victims, but it did not include the names of Penzes or Tosner.
Peter Troy will have his day in court, said Rockville Centre Diocese spokesperson, Joanne Navarro. But we hope that somehow he can get the medical attention he needs.
On Sunday, May 12 parishioners were still looking for closure after the death of their beloved priest. I don't know if anything can ease the pain of [Rev. Penzes] death, said Sue Castelli. He was such a wonderful man, putting Mr. Troy to death wouldn't resolve anything.
We're not looking for vengeance, added fellow parishioner James Milton. The justice system will decide his faith here, but God will deliver true judgment.
Dillon has about four months to decide whether he will use the death penalty. Since the death penalty was reinstated in 1995, Dillon has never used it.
Troy's lawyers wanted to have his mental health records viewed by a grand jury, but a judge denied that request. Nassau County Court Judge Daniel Cotter has set the next court date for May 29, but he does not expect the case to go to trial until late September or October.
Troy is currently being held without bail at the Nassau County Correctional Center.
