CNN
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The girl accused of stabbing an Indiana College university student “has a long historical past of extreme psychological illness” and was “seeking support running her ailment up to and including the day of the alleged assault,” according to her protection legal professional.
Billie Davis, who is White, allegedly explained she was enthusiastic by race when she repeatedly stabbed the university student, who is of Asian descent, on a metropolis bus in Bloomington on January 11th, according to court docket documents and a scholar team.
Davis and the target experienced been using independently on the bus, and when the victim tried out to exit, Davis acquired up from her nearby seat and allegedly stabbed the sufferer in the head with a folding knife, leaving puncture wounds, a possible induce affidavit claims.
In a assertion emailed to CNN, Kyle Dugger mentioned people near to the suspect explain no racist attitudes or background.
The 56-calendar year-outdated has pleaded not responsible to fees of attempted murder, aggravated battery, and battery by means of a lethal weapon, according to on-line courtroom information.
“I would caution the community not to bounce to conclusions about a person’s views or beliefs dependent on police statements from a one interview, and advise even extra warning when the interview was taken from a human being in custody who may perhaps be experiencing psychosis,” Dugger wrote.
In a courtroom filing very last week, Dugger explained he would seek out an insanity defense and demonstrate Davis is “incapable of helping in the preparation of her protection since of psychological health issues.” Online court information demonstrate the court docket has questioned Davis to undertake psychological health evaluations.
Duggar also requested the court to timetable a competency hearing. Two court docket-appointed psychiatrists will assess no matter whether Davis was insane at the time of the alleged incident and if she’s competent to stand trial, Dugger wrote in his emailed assertion. The choose will make the closing final decision about her competency, most likely in about a few to six months, he said.
The madness protection will be made the decision by the jury, Dugger wrote. “When madness is lifted as a protection, the jury can return a verdict of guilty, not responsible, not guilty by reason of madness, or guilty but mentally sick,” he reported.
If an person is located not guilty because of to insanity, prosecutors will transfer to have the personal fully commited to the point out Division of Psychological Overall health and Addiction, according to Dugger.
“The fact about why undesirable items take place is not often uncomplicated,” Dugger wrote in his statement. “It is considerably less complicated to demonize a human being who does something we don’t comprehend than it is to check out to do the job out the genuine explanations top to prospective tragedy.”