CNN
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The lady accused of stabbing an Indiana University student “has a very long background of extreme mental illness” and was “seeking assistance handling her ailment up to and which includes the day of the alleged attack,” according to her protection legal professional.
Billie Davis, who is White, allegedly said she was motivated by race when she consistently stabbed the college student, who is of Asian descent, on a town bus in Bloomington on January 11th, according to court docket paperwork and a scholar team.
Davis and the victim experienced been riding separately on the bus, and when the victim experimented with to exit, Davis got up from her close by seat and allegedly stabbed the victim in the head with a folding knife, leaving puncture wounds, a probable result in affidavit says.
In a assertion emailed to CNN, Kyle Dugger stated folks near to the suspect describe no racist attitudes or background.
The 56-12 months-previous has pleaded not responsible to fees of attempted murder, aggravated battery, and battery by implies of a fatal weapon, according to on-line courtroom information.
“I would caution the public not to leap to conclusions about a person’s feelings or beliefs centered on law enforcement statements from a single job interview, and suggest even far more warning when the interview was taken from a individual in custody who may perhaps be suffering from psychosis,” Dugger wrote.
In a court submitting last 7 days, Dugger explained he would find an madness defense and prove Davis is “incapable of aiding in the preparing of her protection because of psychological ailment.” On line court docket documents present the courtroom has requested Davis to endure psychological health evaluations.
Duggar also asked the court docket to program a competency listening to. Two courtroom-appointed psychiatrists will appraise regardless of whether Davis was insane at the time of the alleged incident and if she’s skilled to stand demo, Dugger wrote in his emailed assertion. The judge will make the remaining determination about her competency, likely in about a few to six months, he mentioned.
The insanity defense will be decided by the jury, Dugger wrote. “When insanity is raised as a protection, the jury can return a verdict of responsible, not responsible, not guilty by rationale of madness, or guilty but mentally unwell,” he explained.
If an unique is found not guilty due to insanity, prosecutors will transfer to have the particular person committed to the point out Division of Mental Well being and Habit, in accordance to Dugger.
“The real truth about why negative issues occur is rarely very simple,” Dugger wrote in his statement. “It is significantly a lot easier to demonize a man or woman who does a thing we never comprehend than it is to test to do the job out the genuine factors foremost to opportunity tragedy.”