I honestly know nothing about this, but claiming that your attempted murder was an "act of performance art" is the craziest defence that I have ever heard.
Chris Burden shot at landing airliners at LAX in the 70's . He probaly got a grant after doing that
Aha I was reading a Carl Hiaasen book recently where a character "Skink" was shooting at airliners in Florida in aother book he picks off tourist cars by shooting through the engine block of their cars as they cross the Card Sound bridge.