Psychiatrist Mark Mills told the jury he spent time with defendant Charles McCoy in June of 2004...three months after McCoy was arrested and charged with a string of twelve shootings on or near interstate highways in Central Ohio. Doctor Mills says he also relied on medical and jail treatment records to conclude McCoy was legally insane.
In direct testimony with questioning by defense attorney Andrew Haney, Mills says it was clear Charles McCoy, Junior had schizophrenia, that he heard voices and exhibited "disordered thinking."
Mills characterized schizophrenia as the "most devastating" of mental illnesses." He testified McCoy had delusional beliefs. Mills testimony is key since the defense must convince the jury by what's called a preponderance of the evidence that McCoy did not know right from wrong at the time of the shootings. Prosecutor Ron O'Brien aggressively questioned Doctor Mills about McCoy's state of mind.
The defense has rested its case and now the prosecution is expected to call several rebuttal witnesses. Judge Charles Schneider says he anticipates the jury will get the case by mid-week.