Posted on 12/14/2004 4:45:48 PM PST by yonif
McKINNEY, Texas (AP) - A mother who admitted killing her baby daughter by severing the girl's arms was guided by a Bible passage in which Jesus refers to cutting off body parts to cast away sin, the woman's attorney said Tuesday.
Dena Schlosser, a 35-year-old housewife with a history of mental illness, has referred to the New Testament passage since the killing of 10-month-old Margaret, attorney David Haynes told The Associated Press.
In the Book of Matthew, Jesus says: ``If thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.''
Schlosser was charged with capital murder Nov. 22, after she told a 911 operator she had cut off her baby's arms. Police found her in the living room, covered in blood, still holding a knife and listening to a hymn.
Haynes said Schlosser was mentally ill at the time.
He said Schlosser is still disoriented but is improving under medication she is receiving in jail.
``She knows the baby is dead,'' he said. ``I think she understands generally the physical facts of how that came to be, but she is now conscious that her mind has not been clear for years and she's still coming to grips with that.''
Schlosser had been hospitalized for postpartum depression in January as part of an investigation by the state's child-protection agency. Social workers said she exhibited symptoms of psychosis but improved with medication and psychiatric help, and the agency closed the investigation in August.
It's sad that it took so long before your mother was able to get the help she needed. A few years ago, I was organizing a History Fair for my homeschool group and a certain woman was chosen to help me plan everything (from another HS group in the city). I'll never forget, when one day over the phone, she told me that God had woke her from and sound sleep and was in her bedroom. Then she said God told her to fast for 40 days and 40 nights...and she did. She said He was in her room and "spoke" to her.
Yep. They're certainly capitalizing on it, that's for sure.
In Texas it is far harder to successfully plead insanity as a defense to a crime. In our state, if you know right from wrong, it doesn't matter whether you couldn't control your actions or even delusional.
Andrea Mitchell knew what she did was wrong. She called 911 to report it. It doesn't matter what some investigator saw on a TV drama show or whether Andrea did.
It sounds to me like lawyers have come up with the perfect defense. Get your crazy client to blame it on the bible. It doesn't have to be true, the client just has to agree with the lawyer. It's much easier to make that defense than to explain how and why evil works.
Yates. Andrea Mitchell is the most powerful woman in the world . . . she's married to Alan Greenspan. ;)
That's wrong too and I think Andrea Mitchell knows it... :-)
Maybe, but I just think that any woman, no matter what her reasoning, who cuts the arms off her child is definitely mentally ill.
I'm guessing I want some other person we both know on death row.
Pia. I hate that name. I've hated it ever since I became aware of the atrocious Pia Zadora.
I don't remember soliciting condescending comments from you. I merely said I don't buy the insanity plea. I'm sorry about your mom, but that has nothing to do with this woman killing her child, and blaming it on the Bible.
Definitely. Really, anyone who commits horrific crimes must have some kind of problem...Scott Peterson, all of them. I think they have to show that the person didn't understand what they were doing in order for the mentally ill defense to stand up in court. If she was coherent enough to read the Bible and then do what she did...she must have understood the consequences. Would they give her the insanity defense if she knew what she was doing?
I don't know. Depends on the state. Bottom line, this woman needs to be behind bars for the rest of her life no matter what.....
Yeah,sure he did.Jesus saying your body is your temple,so cut pieces off,just doesn't go together for some reason. Jesus was referring to whatever causes you to stumble in your quest to "sin no more".For instance,you go into a bar and get smashed.Next time,avoid going into the bar so you don't get drunk.Or,your business has taken over your life and you have no time for God.In this case,dump the business.
I haven't seen a body part yet that caused anyone to sin.The wickedness in their heart caused it,but in this womans case,I think she is just extremely mentally ill.
Nope - they wouldn't.
Really? Jesus Himself said to cut off your limbs. Holy writings can be twisted to perverse ends.
Well, you see back when I was a child there was no treatment at all. In the early 70's I initiated committment proceedings with my brother and father. Electro shock therapy and massive doses of Thorazine. Turned her into a zombie for quite a while. And to the rest of you who disparage mental illness, one of the saddest days of my life was when the Sheriff came to the door and took my Mama away.
Just go down to your local state mental hospital and get a good dose of insanity and then come back to the real world and thank your God that it's not someone you love in that state.
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