State v. Weathers

Summary

The court affirmed the defendant’s convictions, holding that the trial court reasonably rejected his insanity defense and the defense experts’ opinions that psychosis substantially impaired his ability to control his conduct. Although unrebutted expert testimony may not be rejected arbitrarily, the record provided a reasonable basis for the trial court’s findings concerning the defendant’s conduct after the shooting, his anger and frustration, the divergence between the experts’ analyses, and possible symptom fabrication. The court emphasized that proof of psychosis and the commission of a crime, without a demonstrated causal connection, do not establish the volitional prong of the insanity defense.