Does anyone know if psychologist interviews with defendants is like a “standard” thing to defendants charged as the Wagner’s are , but before JW changed his plea ? I don’t know, just wondering.
IANAL, but it's probably not that unusual to have a psych evaluation in such a serious case as this. Judging by the horrible crime, it's logical to think the killers had something wrong with them to inflict such brutality on so many innocent people. Insanity defenses are very difficult. The defense attorney has to prove the defendant was unaware that the crime they were committing was against the law.
IDK, maybe the defense attorneys think any kind of serious mental problem or cognitive defect, etc. that GW3 has could have impaired his judgment. Maybe they were thinking it might prevent GW3 getting the DP. Of course, it wouldn't be an issue now, since the DP is off the table. There's obviously something about the 4 Wagners that makes them very different from the rest of us.
Reminds us of the William Blake poem:
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies.
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp,
Dare its deadly terrors clasp!
When the stars threw down their spears
And water’d heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
A Short Analysis of William Blake’s ‘The Tyger’