By Jeremy Walsh
David Tarloff, 40, pleaded not guilty to first- and second-degree murder in the death of Kathryn Faughey and attempted murder in the attack on Faughey's business partner, Dr. Kent Shinbach. If convicted, he faces the maximum sentence of life in prison.Tarloff is being held at the Rikers Island Correctional Facility. Bryan Konoski, Tarloff's court-appointed attorney, filed a motion Monday to have his client permanently transferred back to Bellevue Hospital, where he was held for psychiatric evaluation after the murder.Konoski said Tarloff has been taunted and punched in the face by other inmates at Rikers. He is currently in protective custody, although Konoski said he was not sure what that meant.”There was clearly a change in his mental state, behavior and paranoia,” Konoski said, noting that during a recent video conference Tarloff told his father he was the Messiah and said he saw flakes falling from the sky indicating approval from God. “There's really a night and day difference.”But Judge Charles Solomon was skeptical of Konoski's arguments.”The issue you're raising with me is that he's not getting his medication,” said Solomon. “As long as he's properly medicated, isn't it their decision where he should be?”Solomon told Konoski to formally request that his client be given his medication, but he refused to return Tarloff to Bellevue until the April 15 return date for the court motions. Tarloff will briefly return to Bellevue April 7 for a psychiatric evaluation, Konoski said.According to the formal indictment against Tarloff, he has been institutionalized around 21 times, including the most recent stint, a three-month stay at a Staten Island hospital.The murder occurred on Feb. 12. Tarloff, carrying suitcases full of dresses, adult diapers and knives, attacked Faughey and Shinbach with a meat cleaver, police said.Tarloff told police he went to the office to rob Shinbach, whom he met in 1991 and blamed for a subsequent institutionalization, according to the indictment. He said he did not intend to hurt anyone, the indictment said.”I was going to take my mother out of the country,” the indictment quoted Tarloff as saying.A group of Faughey's siblings and close relatives attended the arraignment.”We're still just devastated,” said Owen Faughey, Katherine Faughey's brother. “We want to see that justice is done for our sister.”Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e-mail at jwalsh@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 154.
