*Graphic discussion below*
Playing catch up here, but I saw that someone posted something regarding the psych evaluation and the defense foregoing it. The poster here had an interesting point regarding that doing a psych evaluation ordered by the defense might uncover previous crimes and further damage their case.
Can it be considered self incriminating to have a psych evaluation, so the prosecution can't demand it? Can a judge order one? I'm sort of shocked, given the nature of the case, that one would not be done.
The earlier posts about weed were funny and I agreed, but on a serious note, weed mixed with other drugs like oxycotin have a track record. Because of this forum, I ended up reading all about the Tori Stafford killing. If not familiar, the two convicted murderers, lured, raped, beat and killed a preteen, little girl. The killers, an 18 year old woman and a 29 year old man, were both doing oxy and high on weed when they did the horrific crime.
Getting back to the "insanity" plea...
The woman admitted she actually did the killing after the child was raped by the man and she said the scene of the rape enraged her due to past memories of her own violent abuse. It really just sounded to me that in her twisted mind, she was jealous that her one month relationship boyfriend raped the little girl (particularly a second time), but that is not what she said in her confession. She, too, was also a chronic liar. Initially, I believe at least a couple of years, she always said that the guy did the actual killing. She then later confessed of doing the killing part herself but not the sexual assault. (Though she brought the little victim back to the man for a second raping.)
On the surface, I was thinking that her action of rage and killing was more spontaneous and sounds like a psychotic episode, but because she earlier lured the girl and went to the hardware store to purchase the murder weapon and bags during the abduction, it was clearly planned in advance. Getting back to the case at hand, sound familiar? In the LM case, the killer here allegedly planned much, much longer and in more detail, so I'm thinking the psych excuse won't fly.