Maine man sentenced for killing former friend, attacking another appeals conviction
PORTLAND (WGME) -- A Gardiner man, who was sentenced to 65 years for killing his former friend and nearly cutting off the hands of another man with a machete, is appealing his conviction.
Dylan Ketcham was charged with the murder of 22-year-old Jordan Johnson in January 2020. Johnson was shot in the head and later died from his injuries.
Ketcham was also charged with elevated aggravated assault and the attempted murder of Caleb Trudeau, who suffered severe stab wounds from a machete attack. Both his hands were nearly severed at the wrists due to the attack.
A jury found Ketcham guilty of murder, attempted murder, and elevated aggravated assault in January 2023.'
Ketcham was sentenced to 45 years for the murder of Johnson. He also received a consecutive sentence of 30 years, with all but 20 suspended, and four years of probation for the attempted murder and elevated aggravated assault.
This was Ketcham’s second trial. In September 2022, gruesome police body-camera footage that disturbed jurors reportedly led a judge to declare a mistrial.
The Kennebec Journal reported jurors had not been asked, as part of the selection process, whether such videos would impact their decision-making in the case, which prompted concerns that the trial would be unfair. A judge then declared a mistrial.
The oral arguments for the appeal will be heard at 2:20 p.m. on Wednesday in the Cumberland County Courthouse.