Confirmation Of Huckaby Suicide Attempt Prior to Arrest

[Nonni Brenda]

Wonder what the experts have to say about: cutting yourself internally.

It is a symptom of Borderline Personality D/O. Symptoms of other personalilty disorders are similar, and may "cross over". Other personality disorders are: Narcissistic, Histrionic, Obsessive-Compulsive, Paranoid, Schizoid, and Psychopathic,(Antisocial ) as well as others. The DSM-IV notes that personality characteristics are "inflexible and maladaptive, and cause either significant functional impairment or subjective distress." Personality disorders are chronic, do not come and go, and originate in childhood or adolescence, and continue throughout adulthood. Borderline P. D/O is part of Cluster B D/O, along with Psychopathic (Antisocial), Histrionic, and Narcissistic. Cluster B is the dramatic,emotional, or erratic cluster, according to DSM IV, which is the "Bible" for mental health professionals, diagnosing mental illnesses. Sorry for the long post, hope this helps.:blowkiss: Nonni

 

[Tiki]

I'm not sure I believe this report.
My neice swallowed a handful of Lexapro - she was kept in the psych ward for over a week - then had to go to treatment every week and be supervised 24-7 for a long time.
It doesn't make sense that MH would be treated for swallowing xacto blades to kill herself and then just be realeased . . .JMO

PS: My niece is fine now. She got the help she needed. She went to school, became a dog groomer, got married and now has a beautiful baby boy named after my son.
Happy ending for her.

 

[tiredofthis]

I'm not sure I believe this report.
My neice swallowed a handful of Lexapro - she was kept in the psych ward for over a week - then had to go to treatment every week and be supervised 24-7 for a long time.
It doesn't make sense that MH would be treated for swallowing xacto blades to kill herself and then just be realeased . . .JMO

PS: My niece is fine now. She got the help she needed. She went to school, became a dog groomer, got married and now has a beautiful baby boy named after my son.
Happy ending for her.

In most states you have to stay in the hospital under observation for a few days after a suicide attempt. Maybe California is different?

 

[Kat]

Where does our reasoning come into the formula? Is it in the sentencing?

The state of California uses the McNaughton Rule.

Simply put it is a test for criminal insanity.

it must be clearly proved that, at the time of committing the act, the party accused was labouring under such a defect of reason, from disease of the mind, as not to know the nature and quality of the act he was doing, or, if he did know it, that he did not know he was doing what was wrong.

link for definition: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/McNaughton_rules


A very interesting Legal paper on how the history of this rule and the applications used today in a Court of Law in California.

http://llr.lls.edu/volumes/v36-issue4/documents/10insanity.pdf

 

[nittany90]

I've got to wonder if the source of the "attempted suicide story" was not her attorney, but family members. An attorney would be well-versed in the legal definition of "insanity" -- clearly, based upon MH's actions, it appears as though she did know right from wrong. Knowing that, what would the attorney have to gain by releasing the information?

But, on the other hand, the family may simply be trying to garner public sympathy for their loved one. Sort of a "she was mentally ill" excuse. I'm sure they're trying to find a logical explanation for her actions, too.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

It was a rumor being floated around as soon as Melissa was ever mentioned in this case. However, it was reported by Tracy Press that TPD had officers stationed at the hospital where she was located for some reason. Melissa was already on their radar and they were watching her closely. A suicide attempt would certainly raise suspicions on the part of LE so I can believe it is true.

 

[momtective]

Oh yeah, this chick is right up there with the pine cone lady!

 

[goofeegyrl]

In most states you have to stay in the hospital under observation for a few days after a suicide attempt. Maybe California is different?

No, it's not.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Oh yeah, this chick is right up there with the pine cone lady!

I think I am glad I missed that one.

 

[darlin gal]

Usually you are kept for at least a 72 hold. If she didn't have insurance, I am sure they kicked her out after it. They usually do unless they deem them to an immediate danger to themselves or others. They could have observed her, put her on meds, deemed her good to go and kicked her to the curb.

Sadly, it happens all the time in the mental health system. There just isn't the money there if you don't have insurance or inadequate insurance.



as an aside, I am sure her defense lawyer will have her medically evaluated but being mentally ill doesn't equate to being insane.

There is a giant stretch from being mentally ill to being "legally insane".

 

[joga]

she probably didn't take the razor caps off... i just honestly don't see how she could have done that and not have had to get surgery. of course, i have no medical training and am full of it so i guess it's possible.

 

[moonlighting]

Oh yeah, this chick is right up there with the pine cone lady!

???

 

[marlap]

Maybe she swallowed them and immediately brought herself to the hospital intentionally to set up her insanity plea.

Yes. I remember Mark Hacking (killed his newly pregnant wife Lori after lying about school for years) was found running naked in some hotel parking lot just days after she went missing (and loooong before they found her remains weeks later in the city dump).

I bet that's what He was doing and that's what I think Mellissa is doing too.

 

[Amster]

No way....she would have had surgery if she really swallowed razor blades. Even if she wrapped them in cheese or bread or whatever. Wouldn't they have torn her up inside on the way out?

 

[Kat]

she probably didn't take the razor caps off... i just honestly don't see how she could have done that and not have had to get surgery. of course, i have no medical training and am full of it so i guess it's possible.

Bolded by me.

Uh-huh I think you are on to something there, I bet she didn't either.

 

[doubletrouble]

just my two sense here....in the late 80's i was working at the local hospital, and a man came in thru emerg... he had swallowed a fork...yep, a fork! they actually had the xray films up at the nurses station and all staff from other floors came up to see it... well they kept this man in a medically induced coma until time for his surgery... i know there is a differance between a fork and three xto blades.. but i am quite convinced that they wouldnt take a chance to let that pass... they would certainly have removed them surgically if indeed that is what happened... so i dont believe it... anyhow...sorry rushing..no times to go back and fix typos..just my two sense is all

 

[goldie finch]

I'm thinking by using a piece of bread, or inside a piece of hot dog or something. The blades are pretty small.

They also have a rounded end where the blade attaches to the handle. I assume they went down rounded edge first.

 

[KoldKase]

just my two sense here....in the late 80's i was working at the local hospital, and a man came in thru emerg... he had swallowed a fork...yep, a fork! they actually had the xray films up at the nurses station and all staff from other floors came up to see it... well they kept this man in a medically induced coma until time for his surgery... i know there is a differance between a fork and three xto blades.. but i am quite convinced that they wouldnt take a chance to let that pass... they would certainly have removed them surgically if indeed that is what happened... so i dont believe it... anyhow...sorry rushing..no times to go back and fix typos..just my two sense is all

I agree. I'd have to see something more than an unnamed source on this, as I can't imagine these being removed without surgery.

 

[packerdog]

It seems that she had a lot of medical bills prior to this. I wonder how many times she attempted suicide before.

 

[KoldKase]

I don't take for granted MH was ever molested. Her letters to her HS friend "Emmabella" indicate she was considering suicide over problems and that she was just unwanted, "in the way" and no one would miss her. I think she was furious, angry, that she felt supplanted by the families young foster/adopted daughter.

I wouldn't be surprised to find out she acted out her aggression against the young family addition, who was 7-8. She might have developed a taste for harming young girls as a result of her taking out her anger on her rival/replacement.

Now this is an interesting theory.

Of course, we don't know anything at all about this woman, in reality. We have lots of gossip, and lots of reports that may or may not be true about things from "unnamed sources", etc. Her family is no help, obviously.

As to the legal question: Huckaby hid the body, she continued to deceive LE with her concocted stories, so no, she won't be declared legally insane in this case. She may be a petty thief and a child molester and murderer, but as long as she knew what she was doing was wrong and tried to cover up for it, she's not legally insane by definition.