Stabbing Suspect Not Guilty

SEATTLE - A Bellevue man who stabbed a minister and church assistant has been found not guilty by reason of insanity and will likely spend the next 10 years under care at Western State Hospital.

David Thurman's plea of not guilty by insanity was accepted Thursday in King County Superior Court after mental experts retained by prosecutors and his defense attorney determined Thurman was insane when he committed the crime.

Thurman, 38, was charged with two counts of first-degree assault in the April 14 stabbings of David Kersten, pastor of Highland Covenant Church, and Mark Lindberg, a church assistant.

The men were visiting Thurman's Crossroads-area apartment at the request of his wife, who was out of the state at the time.

Kersten was in critical condition after being stabbed in the chest and thigh but said he is happy Thurman is getting the treatment he needs.

"Dave is remorseful and motivated for treatment, and I feel good about all that," said Kersten. "We knew he wasn't in his right mind when we went there and know what he did wasn't malicious."

Lindberg, who was also stabbed in the chest, has also recovered.