The Case that Began the Creation of
"Gregory's Law"

On October 17, 2002, Gregory Katsnelson age 11, completed his homework and asked his father if he could go outside to play with friends. He got on his bike and rode into the woods of the King’s Grant development nearby to meet his friends. Tragically, Gregory encountered Ronald Pituch instead of his friends. Ronald Pituch pulled Gregory from his bike and stabbed him to death.

Ronald Pituch, prior to his encounter with Gregory Katsnelson, commenced a series of random acts of violence during a psychotic episode. Beginning with an altercation with his mother earlier that same day, Pituch became violent after his mother refused him cigarettes. Pituch murdered his mother with a barbell while his five-year-old niece watched. Pituch then tied up the niece and left her in the home along with his mother’s body.

Pituch was under the care of a psychiatrist at the time of his murderous rampage: the doctor failed to adequately delineate the psychotic symptoms that were clearly present and made no attempt to obtain records from any of five prior psychiatric admissions. He also made no attempt to contact Pituch’s mother (now deceased) or his father who had extensive information about their son’s illness, treatment response and violent tendencies. He did not contact a prior doctor, who treated Pituch from 1995-2002, or even ask the name of this important psychiatrist.  The doctor did not know what medications had been effective in the past. He did not know about Pituch’s preoccupation with Satan, thought of evil deeds, and homicidal impulses directly linked to paranoid delusions; nor did he know that Pituch’s use of cocaine and marijuana ignited his psychosis in the past and predated several episodes of violence. The doctor He simply did not know his new patient.

Nevertheless, the doctor began treating Pituch with medications and allowed 10 weeks to pass without hearing from him. He saw Pituch for the second and last time on October 10, 2002, only seven days before the double murder, and again made no attempt to secure past medical records or contact the family (who wanted Pituch committed to inpatient treatment) and prior treating psychiatrists. He performed a cursory psychiatric examination and telephoned to have him committed to an institution; but, because no one answered the call he, allowed Pituch to leave because according to the doctor "pituch didn't want to be committed".  The doctor called  again 2 days later and left a message at the institution but did not contact Pituch. 5 days later, Pituch went on his murderous rampage.

Rossetti and DeVoto were successful in the case against the doctor but Gregory's parents were upset that family members could not force an evaluation of a clearly psychotic person. Andy Rossetti set up a meeting with Senator Bark and the Katsnelsons where Mrs. Katsnelson started her 6 year journey in writing and getting the Governor to sign "Gregory's law" which now enables family members to have a psychotic relative committed and evaluated. We all hope this will prevent something like this from ever happening again.