Mentally ill Manchester man sentenced to 20 years for cutting out his father’s pacemaker

MANCHESTER -Donna Fierstine said Monday she never blamed her son Jesse when he cut out his father's pacemaker because she knew he was mentally ill.

She asked the judge during Jesse Fierstine's sentencing to suspend his sentence so she and her family can get him in an out patient treatment program to battle her son's illness – schizo-effective disorder or schizophrenia. Donna Fierstine said she understands his condition, after many years of not knowing because doctors didn't release the information to her.

She and other members of her family are involved with the National Alliance of Mental Illness, who has helped educate about Jesse's illness, and she convinced she and her family could get him the help he needs and keep him on his medication.

In the end, Judge Monica Ackley said this case has weighed heavily on the court but she would not suspend his sentence because Jesse Fierstine has never taken responsibility for his substance abuse, which led to him not taking his medication.

“When you decide not to take your medication, others suffer,” Ackley said.

Ackley said she had to consider what was best for him, his family and the community.

When Ackley pronounced sentence the 30 or more family, friends and supporters who attended the hearing were silent. Donna Fierstine, sitting with her hands clench together in her lap, quietly began to cry.

Ackley sentenced Jesse Fierstine, 34, of Manchester to 20 years in prison. He pleaded guilty in April to willful injury, going armed with intent and two counts of assault causing serious injury. Each charge carries a five year prison term and Ackley ran them consecutively.

Fierstine was originally charged with attempted murder and willful injury for cutting out his father's pacemaker April 25, 2009.

“I loved my father dearly and I miss him,” Jesse Fierstine said.

He told the judge he now realizes he needs to stay on his medication and asked for mercy.

Delaware County Attorney John Bernau told the judge he had many sleepless nights over this case. After learning all the facts he offered the plea agreement because he knew Jesse Fierstine didn't mean to harm his father. He thought the pacemaker was hurting him but he didn't think Jesse should go unpunished. Bernau asked for the four five-year terms to run consecutively.

Donna Fierstine spent more than an hour on the stand going over five mental health commitments of Jesse from 1999-2005. The doctors' report, which she didn't have access to until after Jesse was charged, detailed his mental illness of auditory hallucinations, suicidal tendencies and psychotic behavior but he never received the intense treatment he needed.

She said her husband Charles suffered from chronic congestive heart failure and was dying when Jesse assaulted him but Jesse believed he was helping because his father's pacemaker wasn't working effectively, according to one doctor. Charles Fierstine's pacemaker would shock him when his heart would stop, 42 times by April 2009, which made him weak and provided little help.

Donna Fierstine said Jesse, who wasn't taking his medication at the time, was aware of the problem with his father's pacemaker and thought it was harming him.

“He was shocked 66 times in three weeks before he died,” Donna Fierstine said.

She never blamed her son at the time of the incident or when her husband died several months later, which didn't result from Jesse's actions.

“I only thought about getting my son help,” Donna Fierstine said. “Any good parent would feel the same way.”

Donna Fierstine said back on April 25, 2009 she was preoccupied with her husband's deteriorating health to closely monitor Jesse's. She didn't know he wasn't taking medication but suspected it by his behavior. He would isolate himself from the family.

When Jesse was on his medication he was a different person. He would work at the sawmill with his father and help him, Donna Fierstine said.

“Jesse was there for him when he needed help,” Donna Fierstine said. “They were buddies.”

Donna Fierstine said she feels the system failed Jesse and her family, as part of the community, because they continued to release Jesse without giving him the more intensive treatment the doctors recommended. There needs to be more awareness about mental illness and she doesn't feel prison will help her son get well.

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