Nebraska Supreme Court hears appeal for Hotz conviction

The Nebraska Supreme Court heard oral arguments Thursday morning in a request for a new trial of Joseph Hotz.

Hotz was convicted in 2009 in Dawes County of second degree murder in the death of his roommate Kenneth Pfeiffer Jr., as well as attempted murder, terroristic threats, and three counts of use of a weapon to commit a felony.

During the original trial, Hotz’s attorneys, Dawes County public defender Paul Wess and Jeff Pickens of the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy argued that Hotz was rendered insane by ingesting psychedelic mushrooms, causing him to become paranoid and believe Pfeiffer was trying to kill him.

District Court Judge Brian Silverman refused to allow the insanity defense on the basis that Hotz’s intoxication was voluntary. Silverman ordered the jury to determine a straight guilty or not guilty vote on each count.