Judge finds suspect insane in Trump-related stabbing

An Essex man, who told police he stabbed his father multiple times at a South Burlington hotel to stop him from harming President Donald Trump’s wife, was insane at the time, a state judge ruled.

Jesse Shaw, 25, of Foster Road, had maintained Melania Trump’s life was in danger because his father, Kenneth Shaw, 52, wanted to kill the First Lady, South Burlington Police said.

Kenneth Shaw received multiple stab wounds when attacked while sleeping in a bedroom at the Anchorage Inn on Dorset Street about 1:50 a.m., May 31, city police said.

Vermont Superior Court Judge A. Gregory Rainville ruled Jesse Shaw is currently incompetent to stand trial. The judge said he suffers from mental illness.

Rainville has ordered Shaw into the custody of the Vermont mental health commissioner for up to another 90 days for a new examination.

Rainville ruled that, should Commissioner Sarah Squirrell consider releasing Shaw back into the community, the court needed to get 10 days’ notice in writing.

Shaw has been at the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital in Berlin for the summer getting treatment under a court order. Shaw pleaded not guilty on July 16 to a felony charge of aggravated domestic assault, a crime that carries a possible 15 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

Now, state prosecutors Dana DiSano and Sally Adams have dismissed the felony but left the door open to refiling the charge.

Rainville also ordered Shaw be listed on the National Instant Background Check database to prevent the purchase of a firearm, court records show.

South Burlington Police said Jesse Shaw told multiple stories the night of the assault, including an initial report that the stabbing was done by the “Illuminati” — a secret society.

Kenneth Shaw sustained multiple severe stab wounds and he had been beaten, South Burlington Detective Sgt. Gerard Eno reported. The older Shaw needed multiple surgeries to save his life, police said. During one surgery a crystal pendent was removed from one of his injuries, Eno said.

The Shaws were sharing a hotel room.

Jesse Shaw declined to give a formal statement to police without his lawyer — who he said was Donald Trump, Eno said. But Shaw did offer an ever-changing narrative early in the case, police said.

Officer Aaron Schwartz said Jesse Shaw reported his father stabbed him first. Jesse Shaw also reported he was with U.S. Special Forces and that he “was part of all branches of the military since he came out of the womb.”

Jesse Shaw said First Lady Melania Trump was in the hotel room with him, Officer Schwartz wrote in his report.

“He said he had met the First Lady after receiving an award from the commander in chief who had given him permission to ‘eliminate the invisible enemy,’ ” Officer Schwartz wrote.

Cpl. Brianne Williamson and Officer Joanna Morse then found a bloodied younger Shaw outside the inn. With Anchorage staff, Williamson gained entry to the room and found the older Shaw face up on a bed with a significant cut to his left thigh, Eno said.

Williamson also spotted a wide-open stab wound to the stomach, at least two more stab wounds to his chest and another under his left armpit.

Later at the hospital, Jesse Shaw said he should have finished the job with his father, but later said he was concerned about his father, only for the younger Shaw to repeat he should have finished the job, Oliver said. A mental health examiner checked Jesse Shaw and reported he had a history of mental illness and had been evaluated in the past multiple times due to mental illness.