INSANITY REJECTED; PURSE SNATCHER SENTENCED.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

LANCASTER - A Lancaster purse snatcher whose insanity defense was rejected by a jury was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison.

A judge denied a request from Nathaniel Grant, 33, who has a prior robbery conviction, that he be put into psychiatric treatment rather than behind bars.

``He said that he had this mental condition, wanted to get treatment, and he thought the court should order him to go to treatment. He said this whole thing happened because of a drug problem and mental illness,'' Deputy District Attorney Robert Sherwood said. ``He also said he was sorry for what he had done.''

Grant was convicted in August of one count of robbery, two counts of attempted robbery, and two counts of attempted grand theft. He was acquitted of a sixth count of grand theft.

Lancaster Superior Court Judge Carol Koppel cited Grant's 1996 robbery conviction for turning down his treatment request.

``Her main reason was the fact that he had done the exact same thing before,'' Sherwood said.

Grant was accused of taking or trying to take six women's purses as they entered or left three Lancaster markets and a Target store July 10, prosecutors said.

Grant was arrested after a sheriff's deputy stopped his car as it was leaving the Albertson's market at Avenue J and 10th Street East.

The license plate number on Grant's vehicle matched the plate number taken down by one of the victims, prosecutors said.

Grant pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the charges. After convicting him, the jury found Grant was sane on each charge after deliberating about an hour, prosecutors said.

During the sanity phase, both sides put on expert witnesses.

A defense witness testified that Grant was insane based on his interview of the defendant, a review of medical records, and statements by witnesses describing the defendant's demeanor at the time of the offenses, Sherwood had said earlier.

Two of the witnesses said Grant was smiling when he took the purses, one said he was laughing, and another said he ``looked out of it,'' Sherwood had said.

The defendant's wife and mother testified as to the defendant's upbringing and difficult childhood and past problems, Sherwood said.

Sherwood had said Grant had been diagnosed as having a bipolar condition and had very broad mood swings.

The prosecution put on two expert witnesses, who also reviewed the records and interviewed the defendant and said Grant did not qualify for legal insanity.