In Ventura County, a 32-year-old former audiologist named Bryn Spejcher, who is now under trial, faces charges of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the stabbing death of Chad O’Melia, a man she briefly dated in 2018.
The incident occurred in O’Melia’s Thousand Oaks condo, with Spejcher allegedly stabbing him 108 times during a Memorial Day rampage. Originally charged with murder, the prosecution later opted for the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter, citing forensic evidence that indicated she was "acutely psychotic" at the time.
The trigger for Spejcher's psychosis, as asserted by authorities, was three hits from a marijuana-loaded bong.
Following the last hit, she went on a violent spree using three different knives, resulting in O’Melia's death and even harming her own dog. The state's decision to reduce the charges surprised and upset O’Melia’s family, who felt it was driven by fear, politics, or publicity rather than justice.
Despite the agreed-upon diagnosis of acute psychosis, prosecutors are attempting to limit the defense's use of arguments related to involuntary intoxication. They argue that when someone voluntarily ingests an intoxicant, like marijuana, and commits harmful acts, they should be held responsible.
During the trial, it was revealed that Spejcher believed she was dead after getting high and thought that killing O’Melia was the only way to bring herself back to life.
The defense contends that she had no prior history of mental illness and was pressured into smoking marijuana by O’Melia on the night of the incident.
Spejcher, who has been out on bail since 2018, now faces a maximum sentence of four years for involuntary manslaughter. However, there's a possibility of a longer sentence if she is convicted under special circumstance allegations, which include committing great violence, being a danger to society, and the use of a weapon.
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