Man accused of gouging out Dayton security guard’s eye enters insanity plea

DAYTON — The man who allegedly attacked a 66-year-old security guard and gouged out her eye has entered an insanity plea.

James Fickling, 25, appeared in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Thursday morning to make his first appearance since being indicted. There, he entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity and asked for a competency evaluation.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: ‘It’s like watching a horror movie;’ Man accused of gouging out eyes of security guard indicted

News Center 7′s Mike Campbell was the only reporter in court for Fickling’s arrangement Thursday. There he learned that Fickling had hired Jay Adams, a high-powered Dayton criminal defense attorney.

A judge set Fickling’s bond at $750,000 Thursday.

Fickling was formally charged on a dozen charges Tuesday. He’s facing counts of felonious assault, kidnapping, attempt to commit felonious assault, assault on a firefighter, assault on a police officer, obstructing official business, inducing panic, and menacing.

As News Center 7 previously reported, he’s accused of the gruesome Oct. 21 attack. He allegedly went into the Premier Health Building on N. Main Street, stripped off all of his clothes except his shirt, and pulled a fire alarm. From there, he knocked the building’s security guard, previously identified by her daughter as Gloria Courtney, unconscious with jumping knee strikes.

Fickling has been accused of gouging out the guard’s eye and damaging the other, leaving her permanently blind.

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Most of the attack was caught on security cameras. Prosecutor Mat Heck, Jr. described the video as like “watching a horror movie.”

When Dayton firefighters responded, Fickling allegedly attacked them. Police previously said he dug his fingers into one firefighter’s eye socket, scratching his cornea.

He also allegedly bit one firefighter in the leg.

Heck said Tuesday that Fickling was believed to be under the influence of fentanyl and heroin at the time of the attack.

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