The judge looked at Justin McCoy.
"Well I suggest you produce your first witness." he said with a sigh. He did not need more complications.
"Very well your honour." said Justin eager to proceed. "I'd like to call Dr Howard Stanhope to the stand."
A tall thin man sat in the row behind Marissa got up from his seat. Marissa was surprised by the sympathetic smile he gave her. Did they know each other?
As the Doctor was sworn in, Marissa notice Caleb and Jackson having a quite intense discussion under their breaths. They clearly hadn't been prepared for the insanity plea. Jackson was making frantic notes as they went through their options. Caleb seemed to be advising patience.
"Dr Stanhope, you are a psychiatrist?" began McCoy
"That is correct." said the doctor.
"When I first asked you to assist me on this case you refused why is that?"
The doctor scowled at the lawyer.
"Because I believed there was a conflict of interest. Bianca is a patient of mine… I would not be a very objective expert."
"But you are an expert." said McCoy. "I believe your connection with Bianca makes you an even more compelling witness. And you are under oath."
"Yes I am." said the doctor.
"Now I asked you to evaluate my client's condition, is that correct?"
"Yes."
"Please can you tell the courts your findings?"
"Very well." said the Doctor with a sigh; he really didn't look like he wanted to be there. "The examination of JR Chandler was not in ideal conditions. I was not able to set up a proper 48 hour observation but I interviewed him and Mr McCoy supplied me with the video evidence he has shown today. JR Chandler was reluctant to admit to his condition at first, but when he did open up his description of hallucinations and voices certainly indicate some form of mental breakdown."
"So what was you diagnosis?"
"I have provisionally diagnosed JR Chandler is a borderline schizophrenic, but as I said before he will need to be admitted for 48 hour observation period and several more interviews taken before I would be happy to give a definite answer to that question."
"Your honour." said McCoy, turning to the judge, "My client has agreed to turn himself in to the new Oak Haven facility as soon as the hearing is over for observation. He is keen to seek treatment so that he can get well and will no longer be a danger to anyone. He is deeply sorry for what happened to Bianca but it was completely out of his control. He just wants to get better for his son."
Jackson noticed Dr Stanhope opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but then he appeared to think better of it.
"That would all depend on the outcome of this hearing, Mr McCoy." said the judge looking up from the new notes he scribbled down.
"Dr Stanhope, please can you describe JR's exact symptoms to the court."
"From my interview I was able to establish that JR has been plagued by a constant hallucination. It came to him in the form of his ex-wife, Marissa Tasker. He told me she was always there in his head nagging him and putting him down. At the point of Bianca's assault JR's subconscious had created more visions, the dark figure of his father, his innocent son and his deceased wife, Babe. He told me that they were all telling him to get revenge and hurt Bianca and it took all his strength for disobey them and run away when he realised what he had done."
"What do you believe was the trigger for JRs condition?"
"JR explained that the vision of Marissa began after the Chandler Mansion Shootings. Traumatic episodes like that could indeed be the trigger for this kind of mental breakdown."
"So he felt guilty about accidently hurting Marissa and so in his mind she came back to haunt him." said McCoy.
"I can't say. I will need to have JR under observation and conduct more interviews before I am happy to give a full psychological diagnosis." replied the doctor carefully.
"But in your personal opinion as an expert psychiatrist is this likely what caused him to snap?"
"I don't like to use the term 'snap'. "said Dr Stanhope bluntly.
"Please answer the question." prompted the judge.
"It is certainly the point that JR identifies as the cause of his break down."
"Thank you Dr Stanhope." said Justin McCoy. He turned to welcome Jackson up to question his witness with a theatrical and insulting sweep of his hand.
Jackson cleared his throat as he stood, while he tried to work out how to contest this new evidence.
"Dr Stanhope, I'm not very clear on the causes of schizophrenia could you explain?"
"Certainly; Schizophrenia is a disassociative mental disorder. Sufferers hear voices and can become completely detached from reality. Some can even become violent. It can strike unexpectedly sometimes it can be triggered by a traumatic event, which I believe to be the case with Mr Chandler. Those with a history of drug or alcohol abuse are also very susceptible. And I believe JR was drinking heavily before his breakdown."
"Is it significant that the voices he was hearing were real people, people he knew?"
"They are likely significant to JR. A schizophrenic's personas are often representative of different parts of their psyche. I find it interesting that he puts all the blame on them."
"Why is that significant?" asked Jackson.
"Well he saw them all as negative influences but I would have expected at least one positive voice that supported the patient's own preferences."
"So this makes JRs case unusual?"
"I'm afraid I cannot give a full diagnosis without a full exam and observation."
"I understand." said Jackson walking back to his desk. He noticed that Caleb had slipped a note with a question on it. Jackson grinned.
"Dr Stanhope. Do you know why the voices in his head were telling JR Chandler to attack Bianca?"
"I imagine there was still a lot of underlying jealousy at loosing Marissa to her. But it is interesting that this time he focused his anger at Bianca and not Marissa."
"What do you mean this time?" asked the judge.
"Well before the shootings at the mansion I was aware there was a lot of bad blood between JR and Marissa." explained the doctor, "As I said before Bianca is a patient of mine and has been for almost twenty years. I know that before his breakdown JR had done some really despicable things in the battle for custody of AJ. I believe Marissa Tasker was forced to take out a restraining order against him in the end."
"It's true your honour." said Jackson. "I'm sure I can find copies of the documents."
"Don't bother." said the judge despondently "I believe you."
"So what does this change of focus indicate?" asked Jackson.
"I cannot be certain, as I've said, but to me it indicates guilt. The fact that Marissa is the main figure in his hallucinations and the fact that he attempted to make peace after the shootings indicate to me that JR was feeling immense guilt about the injury to his ex-wife. But unfortunately the guilt could not erase the anger that he was also feeling, he just found a new focus for it."
"What is the next step if JR is suffering from Schizophrenia?"
"It is a manageable condition, but I believe that therapy will be needed to help JR manage his underlying anger."
"Does JR represent a further threat to Bianca Montgomery?"
"I cannot say." said Dr Stanhope, "But I believe sensibly that JR should receive treatment in a secure facility as he was proven that he is a danger to others."
…
*If you are wondering who Dr Stanhope is, please read my story 'Talking It Through'.*