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There won't be a penalty trial now but her mental illness will be a focus at sentencing, although Lori thinks she can convince a jury of innocence.As this trial begins, if you go back and read threads from when the charges were filed, it's enlightening to compare what the prosecution and defense hoped to do, with what has happened.
Lori's defense was focused on keeping her from the death penalty. Their whole case and witness list was built with that mostly in mind. Still was until very recently, in fact.
Chad's defense was focused on getting the cases severed. They stated the unfair difficulty in distancing Chad from Lori and what she did, not him.
Now? I think the focus of Lori's defense will be mostly an attempt to lessen the sentence, perhaps by shifting blame on others, and less about trying to prove innocence. Or maybe to get her incarcerated in a prison for those with diminished capacity. It's still mostly about the punishment phase.
As for Chad, I expect his defense now will be to point at Alex and Lori, and claim he had no clue they would plot such things as they chased money. He will say imo the first murder(s) were way outside Chad's world (or geography), with Charles and maybe more -- and that when those didn't land the big money Lori/Alex expected, they just found new targets whose deaths would refashion their lives, working from a casual disregard for human life.
Vallow Daybell does not think her mental illness will factor into the trial at all however, because she is certain a jury will find her not guilty.
"Defendant believes that she will be acquitted of all charges and that the penalty phase will not be necessary," say her lawyers in their filing.
The defense team does say that they will present evidence of mental illness at that penalty phase should Vallow Daybell be found guilty by a jury.
Vallow Daybell's lawyers say that "would then be an appropriate time to present the mental illness evidence to the jury in consideration of the potential penalty."

Lori Vallow Daybell Rejects Mental Illness Diagnosis, Expects Acquittal
Lawyers for the "cult mom" filed an objection this week to prosecutors' request to have an expert testify about Vallow Daybell's mental state during her trial.
