photo by: Douglas County Sheriff's Office

Christopher C. Maier

First, Christopher C. Maier exercised his right to represent himself at his own jury trial.

Then, Maier waived his right to be present at his own jury trial.

With no defendant and no defense attorney, jurors heard from the prosecutor and two state witnesses and convicted Maier after 20 minutes of deliberation Monday afternoon, according to the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office.

Maier was convicted as charged of one count of aggravated assault and one count of aggravated battery, both felonies.

Maier is currently one of the Douglas County Jail’s longest-serving inmates, according to a recent Journal-World analysis. He’s been in custody for more than two years, since July 9, 2016.

Maier’s numerous county case files dating to 2011 include hundreds of pages of handwritten letters and pro se legal filings, embellished with a drawing Maier calls the “ion seal” and often signed “Christiano: of the Ariel Dynasty.”

At one court hearing last year, he refused to appear from the jail “unless and until the Court and the paperwork acknowledged him as Lucious Inferno Valentine,” a court journal entry says.

He has fired multiple appointed attorneys, even requesting that one be “arrested.”

In late 2016 and again in 2017, a judge ordered local psychiatric exams for Maier. In June 2017, the judge ordered him to Larned State Hospital to undergo a psychiatric exam. In January of this year she ordered him to undergo treatment at Larned. He has since returned to jail in Lawrence.

Maier’s trial began Monday morning with jury selection, and he was transported from the jail to the courthouse but didn’t stay.

Maier appeared in Judge Sally Pokorny’s chambers outside the presence of the jury, Jill Spurling, trial assistant for the DA’s office, said in an email.

“Maier knowingly waived his right to be present,” Spurling said. “Maier was given the right to watch the trial from jail or return to the trial at any time to participate.”

For Maier to proceed pro se, Pokorny made a finding that Maier was exercising his right to represent himself “knowingly and voluntarily and that he was advised of all possible consequences of doing so,” Spurling said.

Pokorny did appoint defense attorney Gerald Wells to be present on standby, Spurling said. Wells was in the courtroom during the trial.

“His role was to be available to Maier for questions,” Spurling said. “He had no legal authority to try the case or interject himself. Maier could have changed his mind at any time during the trial and he could have had Wells represent him.”

Maier’s new conviction stems from a June 1, 2016, incident at 2444 Jasu Drive.

According to a news release from the DA’s office, the victim told police that she and Maier had an argument while driving. When the woman ordered Maier out of her vehicle, he reportedly pulled out a handgun, pointed it at her and yelled at her to take him to the house on Jasu Drive; there, Maier pointed the loaded gun directly at the victim’s forehead, cocked it and told her he was going to kill her.

The victim pushed the barrel of the gun away from her face, and Maier then struck her in the forehead with the grip of the gun, causing her to bleed profusely, according to the DA’s office. Maier left and was later arrested and charged.

Maier’s sentencing was set for Aug. 31. According to the DA’s office, he faces at least 25 to 31 months in prison based on state sentencing guidelines.