Verna McClain pled “not guilty” at her arraignment but ‘not by reason of insanity’ it seems even though her court-appointed attorney, E. Tay Bond, said that a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity was certainly something they would be visiting.
Although it was reported that McClain’s trial would begin on October 8th, it hasn’t.
After Ms. McClain miscarried, she sent tweets to her fiancé saying she was suffering from post-partum depression and having suicidal ideations so doesn’t this show she wasn’t in her right mind when she snatched Keegan from his mother in the parking lot? And not only was Ms. McClain suffering from post partum depression and having thoughts of suicide, she had just lost a child she desperately wanted so she would have been grieving the loss of her child in addition to PPD. Most of the women who suffer from PPD do not loose their child like Ms. McClain did. Verna McClain acknowledged in her tweets that she was mentally unstable after she miscarried, so this could be why she does not want people to think she is a monster. Here are the tweets VM sent her fiance Kevin.
<snipped>
"I love you so much you will see us tomorrow ok i promise im [sp] depressed and everything crying very emotional i dont [sp] want everyone to see me like this."
Another text said: "Im [sp] ok babe just feel like a big a... baby today even had my gun out no bs so my mind frame is totally off."
A third text read: "Sorry if your [sp] mad i understand ok but this is the first time ive [sp] had post partum depression and it sucks."
"The text messages absolutely indicated that this lady needed some help and she was mentally and psychologically, totally unstable," said Quanell X.
strategyhttp://www.khou.com/home/Pediatric-Suspect-Text-Messages-149579325.html
The prosecution now claim they will be seeking the death penalty even though one of the things they have to prove is future dangerousness. “When you have an isolated incident with somebody who has no prior criminal history, it is very difficult to prove that that person would be a future danger," Bond said.
So did McClain’s defense attorneys listen to George Parnhams who advised them to immediately have Verna McClain’s mental status assessed by a forensic psychiatrist? George Parnhams once represented Andrea Yates, the mentally ill mother who drowned her own children, and after analyzing Ms. McClain’s statements, he said McClain’s own words provide insight into her state of mind so why did the defense team agree to dig into their client's past when they can prove she was and likely still is mentally ill right in front of them? Verna’s mother said her daughter was taking medication for her heart not to treat her depression, mental illness, and paranoia so it doesn't seem like her attorneys sought psychiatric help for their client after she was incarcerated because the psychiatrist would have prescribed medication for her.
Parnhams and Quanell X agreed that she wasn’t in her right mind and suffering from DDP after she miscarried which ultimately means she is not criminally responsible and guilty for the crime she committed.
Parnhams did concede that proving a case of mental illness or even postpartum depression is difficult in Texas. "Especially in cases that involve the loss of life. It’s an uphill battle." but shouldn’t McClain’s attorneys, who are hired to represent their client, at least try?
Jackson said doesn’t believe her daughter should die for what she did because of her state of mind at the time. “I don’t believe Verna’s guilty. There’s laws that constitute people like Verna not being guilty,” Jackson said.
McClain’s court appointed attorneys said they are working as hard as they can on the case but if they don’t pursue an insanity defense for their client how will she get a fair trail?
http://www.khou.com/home/Mother-of-...ing-baby-doubts-trial-fairness-173823581.html
http://www.khou.com/home/Mentally-I...f-shooting-woman-stealing-baby-149437115.html