Suspect in stabbing of Indiana University student has history of ‘severe mental illness,’ says defense attorney

CNN
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The girl accused of stabbing an Indiana College university student “has a extensive historical past of extreme mental illness” and was “seeking assistance managing her issue up to and including the day of the alleged attack,” in accordance to her defense attorney.

Billie Davis, who is White, allegedly stated she was inspired by race when she frequently stabbed the college student, who is of Asian descent, on a city bus in Bloomington on January 11th, according to court docket files and a college student group.

Davis and the target experienced been using independently on the bus, and when the victim attempted to exit, Davis received up from her nearby seat and allegedly stabbed the sufferer in the head with a folding knife, leaving puncture wounds, a possible bring about affidavit suggests.

In a statement emailed to CNN, Kyle Dugger said individuals shut to the suspect explain no racist attitudes or historical past.

The 56-yr-old has pleaded not responsible to costs of tried murder, aggravated battery, and battery by means of a deadly weapon, in accordance to on-line court docket data.

“I would caution the public not to bounce to conclusions about a person’s views or beliefs based mostly on law enforcement promises from a solitary interview, and recommend even much more warning when the job interview was taken from a man or woman in custody who may well be dealing with psychosis,” Dugger wrote.

In a court filing past week, Dugger said he would seek an madness protection and establish Davis is “incapable of assisting in the preparation of her protection mainly because of psychological illness.” Online courtroom information exhibit the courtroom has questioned Davis to endure psychological well being evaluations.

Duggar also questioned the court docket to schedule a competency listening to. Two court-appointed psychiatrists will evaluate irrespective of whether Davis was crazy at the time of the alleged incident and if she’s qualified to stand demo, Dugger wrote in his emailed assertion. The decide will make the ultimate decision about her competency, very likely in about three to six months, he stated.

The insanity defense will be made a decision by the jury, Dugger wrote. “When insanity is raised as a protection, the jury can return a verdict of guilty, not responsible, not guilty by purpose of insanity, or guilty but mentally ill,” he reported.

If an particular person is discovered not responsible due to insanity, prosecutors will transfer to have the person fully commited to the condition Division of Psychological Health and Habit, in accordance to Dugger.

“The real truth about why lousy points transpire is hardly ever basic,” Dugger wrote in his assertion. “It is significantly easier to demonize a person who does something we really don’t comprehend than it is to try to function out the true explanations foremost to probable tragedy.”