Montgomery Suffered From 'Severe Mental Disease,' Expert Testifies

Oct 17, 05:16 AM

Current Headlines: By Tony Rizzo, The Kansas City Star, Mo.

Oct. 17--The defense on Tuesday delved into the mind of Lisa Montgomery, a mind that they argue was too sick to knowingly commit a horrendous crime.

Montgomery's mental state is the key question jurors must answer to determine whether the Melvern, Kan., woman should be convicted of killing Bobbie Jo Stinnett and slicing Stinnett's daughter from her womb in December 2004.

Federal prosecutors contend that it was a carefully planned murder by a manipulative, deceitful woman.

Faced with Montgomery's confessions to law enforcement officials and a large amount of physical evidence, her attorneys have conceded that Stinnett died at Montgomery's hands.

But mental-health experts called by the defense to testify Tuesday said Montgomery suffered from a plethora of emotional and psychological disorders.

One condition, pseudocyesis, is a form of delusional thinking in which a person believes so strongly that she is pregnant that physical symptoms manifest themselves.

Brain researcher Vilayanur Ramachandran testified that at the time Stinnett was killed Montgomery suffered from pseudocyesis, which he classified a "severe mental disease."

Ramachandran said it was an "exceptionally rare" illness that can progress to a dissociative state akin to being in a daze or sleepwalking.

"In that state we can commit acts of violence," he said.

Ramachandran said that someone in that state would only be partly conscious and would not be able discern between right and wrong.

He also said that Montgomery's claim that she cannot remember killing Stinnett in Skidmore, Mo., would be typical of a person in a dissociative state.

Ramachandran said that Montgomery has described events leading up to the killing, and then says the next thing she remembered was trying to rouse Stinnett after seeing her on the floor.

Ramachandran said Montgomery also described picking up the baby and cutting the umbilical cord.

Jurors previously heard testimony about Montgomery's dysfunctional upbringing and her history of physical and sexual abuse.

Ramachandran said that that kind of trauma would predispose Montgomery to be afflicted with pseudocyesis.

Earlier Tuesday, a psychiatrist who has treated Montgomery since shortly after her arrest in Melvern said she believes Montgomery is delusional.

Linda McCandless testified that despite recent medical tests that confirmed Montgomery was physically incapable of becoming pregnant, Montgomery insists that she gave birth in December 2004.

McCandless said that Montgomery told her the baby was born dead and that she "buried her out back."

"I still think the baby is out there," McCandless quoted Montgomery as telling her.

McCandless first met with Montgomery on Dec. 21, 2004, four days after Montgomery's arrest. McCandless said she initially diagnosed Montgomery with bipolar disorder, depression and alcohol dependence.

McCandless said that Montgomery told her she knew what she had been charged with but did not remember the incident.

"I must have done it because I had that baby," McCandless said Montgomery told her. "I can't think I would do something like that."

Montgomery also told McCandless that "I deserve to die if I did that."

On cross-examination by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Cordes, the psychiatrist said she was unaware that Montgomery had confessed to three different law officers a few days before claiming she did not remember the crime.

McCandless said she also did not know that Montgomery said earlier this year that another person had accompanied her to Stinnett's home the day of the crime.

Cordes also played snippets of recorded telephone conversations between Montgomery and her husband in which they laughed about Montgomery telling McCandless that she was hearing voices.

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To reach Tony Rizzo, call 816-234-4435 or send e-mail to trizzo@kcstar.com.

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