Not-guilty plea entered in shooting incident

A Bangor man pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect Friday to allegations that he tried to kill an acquaintance in the city’s Old Capehart section two months ago.

Lester Shuman Jr., 31, has been free on bail in Penobscot County but reportedly was returned Friday night to Sagadahoc County Jail to finish serving a one-week sentence on a misdemeanor charge.

Shuman was indicted this week in Bangor on charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm by a felon. According to officials, he pulled a gun on 39-year-old Joseph Ruest in mid-February while they were at another man’s residence on Rangeley Place.

Penobscot County District Attorney R. Christopher Almy said Monday that the incident was the latest episode in an “ongoing situation.” Ruest had refused to testify on Shuman’s behalf in an assault case, according to Almy.

Ruest has been released from a local hospital after receiving treatment for a neck wound.