McKINNEY, Texas
(AP) - A woman accused of cutting
off her 10-month-old daughter's
arms and leaving the bleeding baby
in her crib to die was found not
guilty by reason of insanity at
a retrial Friday.
Police had arrested Dena Schlosser
in 2004 after finding her baby daughter
Margaret near death and Schlosser,
38, covered in blood, holding a
knife and listening to a hymn.
At her first trial, the jury deadlocked
on the murder charge in February,
with 10 of the 12 jurors saying
she was legally insane. The deadlock
forced a mistrial, and the two sides
agreed last week to have Judge Chris
Oldner decide the case.
Oldner issued the verdict a brief
hearing Friday morning, and Schlosser
is expected to be committed to a
state mental hospital for treatment.
The case against her had hinged
on whether Schlosser had severe
mental problems that kept her from
knowing her actions were wrong.
Defense attorneys told the judge
last week that Schlosser had a brain
tumor that could have caused hallucinations
before the killing.
Several psychiatrists testified
that Schlosser lost touch with reality,
suffered severe mood swings and
experienced religious hallucinations
and delusions. One doctor said she
told him she wanted to cut off her
baby's arms and her own limbs and
head and give them to God.
The defense faulted Schlosser's
husband for not getting her adequate
mental health treatment and also
blamed her preacher, Doyle Davidson,
who believes only God can cure mental
illness.
The state argued the defense was
trying to deflect responsibility
from Schlosser. Prosecutors presented
a methodical case, focusing on possible
inconsistencies and behaviors that
might indicate she knew that killing
her baby was wrong.
John Schlosser, her husband, has
filed for divorce and has custody
of the couple's two other daughters. |