Judge finds Loring Park grocery store killer not guilty due to mental illness
Moriarty reacts to 'rare' ruling in murder case
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty reacts after Taylor Schulz was found not guilty by reason of mental illness in the 2023 killing of Robert Skafte in Minneapolis' Loring Park. Moriarty explains the legal standard behind the finding, why prosecutors did not seek another psychological evaluation and why Schulz could held remain indefinitely.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A judge has found Taylor Schulz not guilty by reason of mental illness in the 2023 killing of a Loring Park grocery store employee, ruling that Schulz committed the murder but did not understand at the time that what he was doing was wrong.
Taylor Schulz finding
What we know:
In a ruling this morning, Judge Michael Burns ruled that the state had effectively proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Taylor Schulz was responsible for the murder of 66-year-old Robert Skafte at the Oak Grove Grocery on Dec. 8, 2023.
However, the judge determined that "at the time [Schulz] committed the crimes, he was mentally ill" and didn't know what he was doing was wrong. As a result, Schulz was found not guilty by reason of mental illness.
The not-guilty finding was issued for both counts of murder Schulz faced in the case.
What's next:
The not guilty finding doesn't mean Schulz will walk free. Schulz is currently being held under civil commitment as "mentally ill and dangerous" and the judge has ordered that commitment to continue under court supervision.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty is set to hold a news conference on the findings at 11 a.m. You can watch that in the live player above and on FOX 9 All Day.
Grocery store killing
The backstory:
Schulz was charged with murder after authorities said he attacked Skafte with a golf club. Police said Skafte was working at the Oak Grove Grocery Store on Dec. 8, 2023 when Schulz took an item to the counter but then walked around the to the other side and attacked Skafte.
Skafte tried to escape, but police said Schulz continued his attack. After the murder, Schulz walked across the street to his apartment, where other tenants saw him enter covered in blood. When officers tried to make contact with him, Schulz refused to leave, sparking a standoff.
What they're saying:
Speaking Thursday morning, Moriarty said the judge's findings were clear.
"There is no doubt that Taylor Schulz killed Robert Skafte," said Moriarty. "None."
She also said she was comfortable with the judge's ruling on commitment.
"Mr. Schulz is not being returned to the community," she said. "He has been civilly committed indefinitely to a secure facility." She added that he could remain there "possibly for the rest of his life."
"This result actually protects public safety better than a prison sentence would," Moriarty concluded. "Because he will — this is indefinite."
Moriarty says often when people are competent they will avoid seeking a legal defense of mental illness because they want the opportunity to get out of prison at some point. "He may not [ever get out]," says Moriarty.
Moriarty also discussed how rare the judge's ruling was. "I can't emphasize enough how rare this is. It is really rare. It is the highest standard in the country… You have to be really, really, really sick to be able to reach that."