Psychiatrist: Housewife Who Killed Sons With Rocks Believed She Was Following God's Order

AP ^ | Apr 3, 2004 | Lisa Falkenberg

[yonif]

TYLER, Texas (AP) - A homemaker who said she was ordered by God to kill her children felt compelled to obey because she believed God would never direct her to do wrong, mental health experts said. "I don't think she had any choice," psychiatrist William Reid testified.

Attorneys for the defense and the state rested their cases Friday in the trial Deanna Laney. The 39-year-old has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to a charge of capital murder in the deaths of 8-year-old Joshua and 6-year-old Luke, and serious injury to a child for the beating of Aaron, now 2.

Laney said she smashed her sons' skulls with rocks after getting a sign from God that he wanted her to kill them.

Closing arguments were scheduled for Saturday morning, and the eight men and four women on the jury were expected to begin deliberating after noon.

All five mental health experts consulted in the case concluded that a severe mental illness caused psychotic delusions and made Laney incapable of knowing right from wrong during the May killings - the standard in Texas for insanity.

Reid testified Friday, the fifth day of the trial, that there is more agreement among mental health experts in this case than he's seen in similar trials. Reid said he could use Laney's case as a textbook example to teach students about Texas' definition of insanity.

Prosecutors have struggled to discredit even their own psychiatric witnesses, trying to convince jurors that Laney knew killing her children was wrong under state law. Her first call, prosecutors pointed out, was to 911 to summon authorities.

They also portrayed the attacks as selfish acts in which Laney sacrificed her children to save her own soul from eternal damnation.

If Laney is found innocent by reason of insanity, she would be committed to a hospital for treatment. Medical evaluations would dictate when she would be released.

If she is convicted of capital murder, she would be sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole in 40 years. If convicted of serious injury to a child, a first-degree felony, the sentence could range from five years to life.

Laney, who home-schooled her children in the tiny town of New Chapel Hill, 100 miles southeast of Dallas, was convinced she was divinely chosen by God to kill her children last Mother's Day weekend, psychiatrists testified.

[Mentos]

Riiiiiiiiight.....

[solzhenitsyn]

"I don't think she had any choice," psychiatrist William Reid testified.

Gotta be a liberal!

[Focault's Pendulum]

Prosecutors have struggled to discredit even their own psychiatric witnesses, trying to convince jurors that Laney knew killing her children was wrong under state law

Then why are they trying it as as capital murder case.

[hershey]

I saw some of this trial, but didn't hear a specific diagnosis, other than that she'd been delusional and heard voices. So is she schizophrenic? What? And now is she on medication? She looks as if she's sane at this point and understands what she did. I have the idea that if she goes to jail, she won't be medicated, which doesn't make sense. At any rate, the state isn't looking for the death penalty. Whatever happens, the poor woman lives with the knowledge of her crime. That's a life sentence. She's probably on a suicide watch.

[river rat]

"She's probably on a suicide watch."

If so, they should remove it..
Let her do, what the state was unsuccessful in doing..
I'll bet even money - that she isn't that insane..

Islamists also hear "God's voice" telling them to murder Christians, Jews, etc.......
Are we to consider them in need of medical help - or should they be destroyed?

Semper Fi

[Smartass]

She'll find out all about God's order.

[hasegawasama]

SHE'S HEARING SATAN'S VOICE

[Hildy]

She's obviously a very sick woman. What I don't understand is all the hate on this board.