A Jackson Township man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for shooting his roommate on New Year’s Day, after writing a letter to his sons asking them to avenge his conviction.

On Friday Porter Superior Court Judge Bill Alexa sentenced Randy M. Swisher, 53, of 437 E. U.S. Highway 6, to the maximum of 20 years in the Department of Corrections (DOC).

In August Swisher was convicted of aggravated battery, a Class B felony punishable by a term of six to 20 years; and of battery with a deadly weapon, a Class C felony punishable by a term of two to eight years.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Mike Drenth told the Chesterton Tribune today that because the two charges were filed in connection with the same act, for the purpose of sentencing the Class C felony was merged with the Class B felony.

The sentence followed the revelation that Swisher asked his sons in a letter to seek revenge on the persons responsible for his conviction, including court officials. “He wrote a letter which I introduced at the sentencing hearing through the probation officer,” Drenth said. “And he basically had a laundry list of people for his sons to take revenge upon.”

Alexa, in sentencing Swisher to the maximum, indicated that he found the letter offensive to the spirit of the American judicial system, Drenth said.

According to the Porter County Sheriff’s Police, at 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 1 Swisher’s roommate, Chad Nolan, 21, accompanied by several friends and family members, went to the front door of the house. Swisher answered the door armed with a shotgun and several handguns, police said, and fired the shotgun at Nolan, hitting him in the right shoulder. Nolan himself was armed with a .22 caliber pistol and returned fire, hitting Swisher in the stomach and right leg, police said.

Swisher attempted to flee but, still armed with a pistol, was apprehended by PCSP officers, police said. Both Swisher and Nolan were treated at Porter Valparaiso Hospital Campus.

Police said that family members reported Swisher to have been acting delusional for several days prior to the incident but that no one sought treatment for him.

Swisher was found competent to stand trial earlier this summer after a third competency test. Of two previous tests conducted by Porter-Starke Services, one found him competent, the other not competent.

Swisher represented himself during the trial after firing his public defender.

Swisher will be eligible for release from DOC after serving 10 years, or half of his sentence.

Posted 9/29/2008