Defense in fatal cop shooting want trial halted over mental status dailyworld.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailyworld.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Mental illness has caused Howard s thoughts to be disorganized and he suffers from delusions and auditory hallucinations, which have impaired his ability to meaningfully consult with his attorneys, they said.
Howard is accused of shooting and injuring Craig Leopaul and Ameen Alfata and shooting at Lafayette Officer Logan Signater in a Moss Street convenience store in 2017.
The 31-year-old also faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of police Cpl. Michael Middlebrook the same night. A trial date has not been set in that capital case.
Howard pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in both cases.
The doctors will have 30 days to complete their reports, which will be filed under seal, Garrett said in court. If the doctors disagree, Garrett said she ll ask a third one to complete a report.
Defense in fatal cop shooting want trial halted over mental status theadvertiser.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theadvertiser.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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When jurors reach a verdict in Ian Howard s attempted murder trial - whether they find him guilty or not guilty - they ll have to reach a unanimous decision, a judge ruled.
Defense attorneys for Howard argued jurors could come to a 10-2 decision when finding Howard not guilty or not guilty by reason of insanity.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that Louisiana s split jury guilty convictions were unconstitutional.
Howard s attorneys, Richard Bourke and Elliot Brown with the Louisiana Capital Assistance Center, argued in April that decision didn t apply to not guilty verdicts.
Fifteenth Judicial District Court Judge Valerie Gotch Garrett ruled that the jury must come to a unanimous decision.