In a chilling incident reminiscent of a horror movie, an Oregon judge has handed down a sentence of three years and four months to a former Oberlin College student who, in a "zombie-esque" attack, bit off an elderly man's ear and part of his face at a Gresham train station last year.
The sentence was issued to Koryn Kraemer, 27, originally of Westfield, New Jersey, by Multnomah County Circuit Judge Shelley Russell on Wednesday. The prosecution and defense both attributed Kraemer's diagnosed schizophrenia to the gruesome attack that took place on January 3, 2023.
As reported by The Post Millennial, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt offered Kraemer a plea deal. The agreement included a guilty plea to a single second-degree attempted assault charge in exchange for a reduced sentence, according to a press release from the district attorney's office. The 78-year-old victim, who suffered severe injuries in the attack, later succumbed to pneumonia. Deputy District Attorneys Julian Samuels and Sean Hughey represented the state in this case.
The horrifying assault occurred around 2:15 am at the Cleveland Ave MAX platform. Court documents reveal that Kraemer launched a savage attack on the elderly victim, biting off his ear down to the bone and the skin from a portion of his face. The severity of the victim's injuries was such that emergency responders could see his skull, as per police reports.
Kraemer, who identified himself to Gresham police as "El Baker," claimed he believed the victim was a "homicidal robot." A probable cause arrest affidavit indicated that Kraemer confessed to being under the influence of fentanyl, alcohol, and marijuana during the attack. Officers reported that when they pulled Kraemer from the victim, he spat out the elderly man's flesh and thanked the police for saving him from the "robot."
Initially declared mentally incompetent to stand trial, Kraemer was taken to the Oregon State Hospital, where he was held for about four months before being returned to the Multnomah County Jail. During his sentencing, he informed the court that he is now on two medications to treat his schizophrenia and expressed remorse for the attack.
"I feel really horribly about what happened, and I know now that by medicating my condition I'll be able to manage my illness and ensure that nothing violent happens in the future," Kraemer told Judge Russell, as per the Oregonian.
Defense attorney William Walsh informed the court that Kraemer, a former goalie on the Oberlin College men's soccer team in Ohio, failed to graduate and fell into homelessness. This, Walsh said, is when his psychosis took over. "He is appropriately embarrassed and remorseful for things that occurred when he wasn't in his right state of mind," Walsh stated.
Kraemer, who has at least one prior arrest in Georgia, was initially charged with felony assault but avoided the charge after reaching a plea agreement with the prosecutors. His attorney stated that Kraemer plans to live with his family in New Jersey after serving his sentence. The judge granted him credit for time served and the possibility of time off for good behavior.
Kraemer will remain under the custody of the Oregon Department of Corrections for the duration of his sentence. TriMet, the public transport agency, has issued him a lifetime ban. This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of mental health awareness and the potential consequences of untreated mental illness.
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