A former college football player from New Jersey who brutally bit off an elderly man's ear and face on a train platform in Oregon was sentenced Wednesday to more than three years in prison.
Collin Kramer, now 27, attacked the 78-year-old victim, whom he believed to be a killer “robot,” at approximately 2 a.m. on January 3, 2023, at the Cleveland Avenue MAX station in Portland.
Both the defense and prosecution have argued that the brutal assault was fuelled by Kramer's schizophrenia, for which he is currently receiving treatment. According to Oregon Live.
“I feel really terrible about what happened. I know now that by taking medication I can control the illness and prevent anything violent from happening in the future,” Kramer told Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Shelley Russell on Wednesday.
The former college athlete admitted to being under the influence of alcohol, marijuana and fentanyl when he approached the man and bit him.
When police arrived on scene, Kramer had bitten off the man's ear and chewed off skin on his face to expose his skull.
According to the documents, he vomited the victim's flesh onto the tracks and claimed police “saved his life by pulling him away from the 'robot.'”
The victim was hospitalized in stable condition but later died from unrelated causes. According to KATU.
According to court records, Kramer was deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial after his arrest. During his sentencing hearing, Kramer said he was prescribed medication to treat schizophrenia and spent four months in Oregon State Hospital.
He grew up in Westfield, New Jersey and previously attended Oberlin College in Ohio, where he was the goalkeeper for the men's soccer team in 2015 and 2016.
Kramer was previously arrested in Georgia, according to Oregon Live.
“He is understandably embarrassed and remorseful for what happened when he was not in a normal state of mind,” Mr Walsh said.
The lawyer added that Kramer plans to return to New Jersey to live with his family after serving his sentence.
He was initially charged with felony assault, but pleaded guilty to one count of attempted second-degree assault as part of a deal with prosecutors.
He was sentenced to 40 months in prison, with time served credited and the sentence could be reduced for good behavior.
He will spend about two years under supervision after his release, which could happen as early as next summer.
