I’m sorry, but what motive would she ever have to admit she didn’t believe God was talking to her? Even if she’s crazy (and I don’t doubt her sanity one bit) she’s not stupid. Nor does she have a conscience. Unless the court insists she’s faking this woman is never going to trial. And I don’t think this court will ever be that brave. All we can hope is Chad doesn’t decide to play the same game.
ETA But I don’t think Chad would be able to play it nearly as convincingly.
There is a difference between sanity and competence. Hearing voices others don’t hear might indicate mental illness. But it doesn’t necessarily indicate incompetence. I happen to believe (but not know) that Lori believes dead gods, saints, relatives have spoken to her. I believe that she believed that, among other times, when she was at the police station reporting her purse stolen by Charles. She was insane. She was also fully competent, and able to say what she needed to say to try to get the police on her side.
It doesn’t matter if she is hallucinating; there are people who suffer with hallucinations and are fully able to advocate for themselves.
What does matter is if she has lost her ability to, for instance, “turn off” the crazy when around people (like the police) who won’t respond well. She could have lost this ability, and she could have lost the ability to participate in her defense. When was the last time we have seen Lori? How would we know?
I could be wrong, of course. There is the Chin, a very effective and long-lasting malingerer. However, I disagree that she has no motive to stop displaying symptoms like hearing God and company.
1) Lori wanted the trials together. Her incompetence makes it less likely to occur her way.
2) Chad wants the trials separated, and his kiddults are already floating the theory that he was framed. Lori is unable to respond to this if she is faking incompetence. I have trouble imagining her able to sit by; she is no stranger to (family) court, and has never been one to let the legal professionals make her case while she speaks when spoken to.
3) Whenever Lori wants anything, she would have to go about getting it without using the competence she is pretending to have lost. That means she has almost no control over her environment, which I think we agree she values.
4) Remember, no competence means no manipulation. No batting eyes. No, ha-ha-ha I don’t want to be found competent. No flirting a soda out of your cell mates visitor. No getting the guard to share the lunch his wife packed for him. How long could Lori keep that up?
5) If Lori wants to avoid death, she is much better off telling her side of the story and blaming Chad and Alex as much as possible, not letting Chad get his narrative out first with Lori silenced by choice. Otherwise, Chad will blame everything possible on her, and as soon as she becomes competent, she’s facing death.
Colby said something about his mother just saying everything’s going to be all right- when obviously it already wasn’t. Maybe he saw the beginnings of a person who was no longer that charming liar on body cams and was now a scarily, disconnected and unrealistic person- with suggestions like calling Jesus to the stand.
IMO- and with no inside scoop.
