Lawyer: Pittman to plead insanity
Teen charged in stabbing deaths
By: Lynn LaRowe - Texarkana Gazette
Pittman
NEW BOSTON, TexasLawyers for a teen girl accused of murdering a mother and her two young children in 2011 have given notice to the state that they intend to plead insanity.
Attorney Tonda Curry of Longview, Texas, signed the document Sept. 27 on behalf of Rachael Nicole Pittman.
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If a jury convicts Pittman but accepts her insanity defense, the teen could be acquitted.
Prosecutors likely will argue that Pittman set the bodies of the slain on fire to cover her crime, an act that might lead a jury to think Pittman knew what she allegedly did was wrong.
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The case appeared to puzzle investigators, and a reward for information leading to an arrest grew to more than $140,000 before Pittmans mother contacted Bowie County Sheriffs Office with information in mid-August 2011.
Since then, Pittman, who was 16 at the time of the deaths, has been certified to stand trial as an adult. Defendants younger than 17 are considered juveniles under Texas law unless certified as adults, based on the seriousness of the offense or a lengthy history of criminal conduct
Indictments handed down earlier this year accuse Pittman of capital murder, multiple persons, in the deaths of Doss and Guinevere and first-degree murder in Texas death.
Pittman pleaded not guilty.
Thursdays hearing was set earlier this week in response to a motion from prosecutors asking the court to compel the defense to comply with an order inked Aug. 29.
At the August hearing, 202nd District Judge Leon F. Pesek Jr. gave the defense an Oct. 2 deadline to provide the state with reports from experts, specifically a psychiatrist and psychologist.
The state complained at Thursdays hearing that the defense had provided only sketchy, incomplete, preliminary reports detailing the experts opinions of Pittmans mental state.
First Assistant District Attorney Michael Shepherd told Pesek that receiving the defenses expert reports has become more urgent since notice of Pittmans intention to use the insanity defense.
DA Jerry Rochelle echoed Shepherd and expressed concern that the state will not have adequate time to prepare rebuttals to Pittmans experts before the trial in January.
Curry argued that the state was trying to stop us from continuing our examination.
Theres no reason their doctor cant evaluate our client, Curry said. There is no reason he cant start. There is no reason he couldnt have already started once we gave our insanity notice.
Pesek noted that the order he penned directed the defense to provide expert reports, including a description of the procedures used by the experts as well as their diagnoses. Pesek gave the defense a new deadline of Oct. 22 to provide more detailed expert reports.
Pittmans trial for capital murder is scheduled for Jan. 14 in Rusk County. The case was moved because of pretrial publicity.
A trial has not been scheduled on the first-degree murder charge in Texas death.
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llarowe@texarkanagazette.com
Published: 10/12/2012