Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 19, 2006 18:06:28 GMT -5
Bigby's drug use, personality cited
James Eugene Bigby's aggressive personality, fueled by depression and drug
use -- not mental illness -- led him to kill 4 people in 1987, 2
mental-health experts testified Monday.
Richardson psychologist Randy Price told the jury, which will decide
whether Bigby lives or dies, that everybody has personality traits but
that depression and methamphetamine use intensified Bigby's anti-social
behavior and narcissism.
Price also said Bigby's personality disorder made him paranoid.
Bigby, now 51, was convicted and sentenced to death in 1991 for the
murders of Mike Trekell and his 4-month-old son, Jayson.
Last year, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Bigby's conviction
but overturned his sentence, saying it violated a 1989 U.S. Supreme Court
ruling that juries should consider mitigating factors, such as mental
illness, when deciding whether a defendant should die.
Bigby's attorneys contend that he shouldn't be executed because his
paranoid schizophrenia and frustrations about a workers' compensation
claim led to the killing spree.
Price said he reached his findings after reading medical reports, jail
records and police affidavits.
Testimony in the Bigby punishment phase is entering its 3rd week. Closing
arguments could come as early as Wednesday.
Bigby is also accused of 2 other killings. Those cases are pending.
(source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
James Eugene Bigby's aggressive personality, fueled by depression and drug
use -- not mental illness -- led him to kill 4 people in 1987, 2
mental-health experts testified Monday.
Richardson psychologist Randy Price told the jury, which will decide
whether Bigby lives or dies, that everybody has personality traits but
that depression and methamphetamine use intensified Bigby's anti-social
behavior and narcissism.
Price also said Bigby's personality disorder made him paranoid.
Bigby, now 51, was convicted and sentenced to death in 1991 for the
murders of Mike Trekell and his 4-month-old son, Jayson.
Last year, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Bigby's conviction
but overturned his sentence, saying it violated a 1989 U.S. Supreme Court
ruling that juries should consider mitigating factors, such as mental
illness, when deciding whether a defendant should die.
Bigby's attorneys contend that he shouldn't be executed because his
paranoid schizophrenia and frustrations about a workers' compensation
claim led to the killing spree.
Price said he reached his findings after reading medical reports, jail
records and police affidavits.
Testimony in the Bigby punishment phase is entering its 3rd week. Closing
arguments could come as early as Wednesday.
Bigby is also accused of 2 other killings. Those cases are pending.
(source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram)