Philip Chism’s attorney raised her voice Friday and told the judge in the case that he had “eviscerated” their defense with what she called an incorrect ruling.
Judge David Lowy ruled that the defense mental-health expert couldn’t let jurors know what Chism had told him. Dr. Richard Dudley could only speak to his observations and opinions. Defense attorney Denise Regan was not pleased.
“I feel that this court ruling now has hamstrung me to the point where the defense has been eviscerated,” Regan said.
Dudley, in his testimony, said Chism had "unspecified" schizophrenia since he was 10. He said Chism had been hearing voices for years, but when he was in Tennessee a strong adult support system held them at bay. In Danvers, Dudley said, Chism’s mental health deteriorated and he couldn’t resist the voices that degraded and humiliated him.
Under cross examination, Dudley acknowledged some of the symptoms he saw in Chism are regular signs of adolescence. He also admitted he's unsure whether Chism knew what he was doing was wrong.
