Killer sentenced to custody

A man who admitted killing his mother with an ax and stealing her car will spend up to 35 years in state custody, much of it likely to be spent at the state hospital.

Leonard Preston Gall, 27, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to second-degree felony manslaughter and theft in September 2003. He has been at the state hospital since then.

Gall has been diagnosed as schizophrenic, but he has claimed in court that he has bipolar disorder.

Gall's brother, Michael Gall, let slip multiple bursts of approval, shouting "yes" as 3rd District Judge Judith S.H. Atherton read Leonard Gall's sentence Monday.

Susan Gall was killed in December 2001 at age 57 at her Salt Lake City home. She was a special-needs school teacher and had spent much of her life helping her mentally ill son and advocating for others suffering from similar ailments.

"I recognize my responsibility for my mother's death," Leonard Gall calmly told the judge Monday. "I feel terrible about what's happened. I love my mom very much and I miss her."

He said he believes his family may believe he wants to hurt or kill them, but he assured Atherton that he has no such desire.

"This case has been a tragedy to you and your family, and you've recognized that," Atherton told Gall. But she said it has also been a tragedy for the community, which has had to deal with the fact that the system was unable to keep Gall and his mother safe.

Atherton said the one "positive" outcome — although she quickly noted she was hesitant to use that word — was a change in the state's involuntary commitment law to make it easier for relatives to seek forced treatment of a family member who is posing an "immediate" danger to himself or others.

Susan Gall tried but failed to have her son committed when he became psychotic after he stopped taking his medication.

"I hope in the future we as a community will be able to be of greater assistance," Atherton said.

Atherton said she was pleased to see Gall's apparent progress since he was first placed at the state hospital.

"Today you look better than I've ever seen," she told him Monday. "Much clearer thinking."

Defense attorney Stephen McCaughey said he was pleased that Atherton's sentence put Gall at the state hospital, where he will "get the most benefit."

Atherton left it up to the discretion of the state Department of Corrections as to future transfers to the state prison or back to the hospital, as necessary.

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E-mail: dsmeath@desnews.com