BALTIMORE (MD)
phillyburbs.com
By BRIAN WITTE
The Associated Press
BALTIMORE - A man who shot a former priest made wild claims to doctors, meaning he either had severe psychotic symptoms or was trying to fake them, a psychiatrist testified Tuesday.
The prosecution rested its case Tuesday in the trial of former priest Maurice Blackwell, 58, and the defense phase got under way. Blackwell, who was shot and wounded by accuser Dontee Stokes three years ago, is charged with four counts of child sex abuse.
Defense witness Dr. Neil Blumberg cited Stokes' statements in medical records that he was possessed by evil spirits, felt as though he was Jesus Christ and had been abducted by aliens as a child.
"He reported seeing dead people, hearing their voices," Blumberg testified.
The medical records strongly suggested that Stokes, 29, has sometimes been unable to tell the difference between reality and fantasy, if he was talking honestly to doctors, Blumberg said.
Posted by kshaw at February 15, 2005 03:07 PM