Rampage Suspect Barred From Courtroom

A “disgruntled employee” accused of embarking on a deadly rampage at a Costa Mesa hospital nearly two years ago was barred from his own trial Monday when he yelled out in court that he wanted to tell jurors his side of the story.

“You’re outta here,” Orange County Superior Court Judge Robert R. Fitzgerald told Michael E. Rahming, 39, who began shouting after Deputy Dist. Atty. Randy Pawloski laid out his case to jurors during an opening statement.

“Your Honor, when can I tell my side of the story? What Mr. Pawloski is going on is hearsay. He doesn’t know. I was there,” an agitated Rahming shouted. “If this jury is going to decide my fate, I want to say something to them.”

Fitzgerald said he would not allow such outbursts and ordered Rahming into a small holding cell behind a window looking into the courtroom, where he remained for the rest of the day.

It was not immediately clear whether Rahming would be allowed back into the courtroom during the trial. Rahming began yelling after his defense attorney, Michael J. Naughton, announced that he would reserve his opening statement until the prosecution concluded its case.

Rahming was working as a full-time painter at the state-run Fairview Developmental Center when, authorities said, he armed himself with two handguns and turned on his supervisors and a co-worker on July 30, 1991.

Rahming is accused of killing supervisor Allen R. Motis, 53, of Garden Grove and wounding hospital director Hugh Kohler, 45, of Costa Mesa and supervisor James H. Pichon, 38, of El Toro. Rahming allegedly tried to shoot employee Michael Softa, but the gun misfired.

Rahming has pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity to one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder. Due to the unusual plea, jurors must make a determination on Rahming’s mental condition if they find him guilty of the criminal charges.

On Monday, Pawloski told jurors that Rahming fit the stereotype of a “disgruntled employee” who “decided to take matters in his own hands and act as judge, jury and executioner.”

Rahming allegedly opened fire in a coffee room, striking Pichon in the head, then chased Motis to his office, where he inflicted the fatal wound, Pawloski said. Rahming then allegedly fired his weapon at Softa before driving his truck about a mile to Kohler’s office, where a bloody struggle ensued. Rahming fled the scene and later surrendered to authorities.