Attorney Pam Ames, center, speaks for her client, Richard Murray-Burns, seated, during his first appearance in court Thursday in Skowhegan. Murray-Burns has been charged with aggravated attempted murder in a gunfight with police. Morning Sentinel photo by Rich Abrahamson
SKOWHEGAN — A man accused of shooting and injuring a Waterville police officer during a car chase last month entered no plea Thursday on a charge of aggravated attempted murder. A judge set bail at $1 million.
Richard J. Murray-Burns, 29, of Hartland allegedly shot Waterville police Officer Timothy Hinton in both arms and engaged in a gunfight with several other officers after they pursued him from Waterville to Canaan on Dec. 22. Murray-Burns, who was wounded in the shootout, could face up to a life sentence in prison if convicted of the Class A felony.
He made his first court appearance Thursday afternoon in Skowhegan. His next court date has not yet been scheduled.
Waterville Police Officer Timothy Hinton was wounded in an altercation with a shoplifting suspect on Dec. 22. Courtesy of Waterville Police
Murray-Burns accepted Waterville-based lawyer Pam Ames as his court-appointed attorney. First Assistant District Attorney Frank Griffin is representing the state. Superior Court Justice Robert Mullen presided.
The complaint against Murray-Burns, filed Dec. 27 by Detective Hugh Landry of the Maine State Police, alleges in part that he “did intentionally attempt to cause the death of Timothy Hinton and or other human beings by shooting multiple shots at them, including two that struck Timothy Hinton.”
Griffin recommended that Murray-Burns be held on $1 million cash bail and not be allowed to use or possess illegal drugs, marijuana or marijuana products, not possess firearms, and be subject to random search.
An investigator walks by a car that was pockmarked with bullet holes during the shootout Sunday in Canaan. Kennebec Journal file photo by Andy Molloy
Employees at Skowhegan District Court said that all documents except the complaint against Murray-Burns are currently sealed and not available to the public.
Murray-Burns allegedly fired shots at Hinton after the Waterville officer tried to pull him over in connection with a shoplifting complaint at the Waterville Walmart.
Hinton is “recovering well” from his injuries at home, according to Waterville Deputy Police Chief Bill Bonney. Murray-Burns was treated for multiple gunshot wounds and released from Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor on Wednesday. He was being held Thursday night at the Somerset County Jail in Madison.
A man with the same name and birthday as Murray-Burns was charged with the attempted murder of his mother’s boyfriend in 2010 and assaulting a police officer in 2017 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
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