INDIANAPOLIS — Psychologists and mental health experts took the stand Tuesday in the trial of man accused of killing an IMPD officer.
Officer Breann Leath was killed while responding to a domestic dispute at an apartment in April of 2020. Investigators say she was shot through an apartment door.
In court on Tuesday, psychologists said a brief psychosis could be part of the reasoning behind a man killing an IMPD officer.
Psychologists and mental health experts testified that Elliahs Dorsey was showing signs of paranoia, depression and fear that someone was trying to kill him.
"Major symptoms of paranoia, suspicious of others, which got to the point of him making unwarranted accusations like his barber, his feelings that people were out to kill him even though they weren't. He was wearing a bulletproof vest, became very hyper vigilant," said Psychologist Dr. Golden. "His former fiance describes that strongly, he doesn't understand they've broken up, thinks they're going to be together. He's essentially what you could call stalking her. Her father asks him to leave but still doesn't want to call the police. Dorsey doesn't understand what's going on, what's happening. He becomes convinced that he's going to be killed by someone and his family is going to be killed and he warns his family about this. These are made worse by Covid. Covid has a big effect on people with paranoia. There is no direction no support... To someone like Dorsey, that just heightened the level of destruction that things are falling apart and out of control."
The doctors believe Dorsey was triggered when police knocked on the door.
They said Dorsey's brain functions abnormally which impacted his reasoning and emotions during that moment.
"Without frontal lobes, he's not able to appreciate what he is doing is abnormal or maybe feeling the emotions I am having are not appropriate,"
"In this situation, he is totally convinced he is acting in the only way possible because acting in his self defense that its the only way he can survive," said Dr. Ruben Gur.
"He was in that state acutely paranoid, terrified that he was going to die and people on the other side of the door would be the ones to do it, then fired at Ms. Brown because he was already worried she was calling people to have him killed and he didn't appreciate the wrongfulness of his actions because it was his life or those that came to kill him," said Dr. George Parker.
The doctors say Dorsey's actions inside the interrogation room also point to someone experiencing psychosis.
"He was psychotic before incident, certainly during and afterwards," said Dr. Parker.
"Was I paranoid or something? What the f***," said Dorsey. "Crying on floor, unbelievable. I do not get it. I'm not a killer. I'm not a killer. Why would they say that to me last night. Who says that and the day happened! Why! Why! What is going on man," said Dorsey.
Dr. Gur also testified that Dorsey's brain is smaller than a normal brain and is consistent with someone with traumatic brain injuries and schizophrenia.
The defense is asking the jury to find Dorsey not responsible by insanity after findings from psychologists.
The trial is expected to conclude this week.
