PORTLAND — The third day of Chad Gurney’s murder trial was cut short today as the 29-year-old defendant became agitated during testimony in the morning, and heavy snow forced the closure of the courthouse at noon.
Gurney is on trial for the May 25, 2009, killing of 18-year-old Zoe Sarnacki.
His defense team claims he was legally insane when he strangled the former Deering High School student, decapitated her and set fire to her body.
Around 10:30 a.m. today, Justice Roland Cole called for a recess, noticing that Gurney was becoming agitated during the testimony of Detective Scot Bradeen.
The lawyers on both sides met with Cole for an extended period, and the marshals told a small group of people remaining in the courtroom that the trial would resume Thursday morning. It had already been announced that the entire Cumberland County courthouse would close at noon today.
Gurney’s lawyers, Robert LeBrasseur and Sarah Churchill, said they expect the trial to resume as planned on Thursday.
“Obviously he is on a number of medications. There was a change in the medication schedule at the jail,” Churchill said after meeting with the judge. “Because of that, it was in everybody’s best interest to be done for the day.”
“I don’t think it’s any big issue,” Churchill said.
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