Schizophrenia Made Me Do It?: Shoot Two Cops

From the Charlotte-Observer, about Demeatrius Montgomery, who killed two police officers two years ago. (Hmm. Those wheels of justice sure do turn … slowly.)

A relative recounted for a courtroom Monday how Demeatrius Antonio Montgomery looked out the window of her home and said “they’re after me.”

At other times, Gwendolyn Hinton said her nephew would talk to himself, burst into laughter during serious conversations and behaved almost childlike.

The picture of a disturbed and occasionally violent Montgomery emerged during a hearing to determine whether he is mentally competent to stand trial in the 2007 shooting deaths of Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers Sean Clark and Jeff Shelton.

Clark, 34, and Shelton, 35, were killed at the Timber Ridge apartment complex in east Charlotte. Their deaths prompted a citywide outpouring of grief as thousands attended their funerals.

Authorities arrested and charged Montgomery, 27, with two counts of first-degree murder. Since then, state mental health workers and his lawyers have tried to assess his mental stability.

But for the most part, Montgomery has refused to speak to them, witnesses testified Monday.

Psychiatrist George Corvin said he has tried to examine Montgomery seven times, but most of the time “he is completely mute.”

Montgomery also has refused to speak with his attorneys, Corvin said.

Corvin, testifying as an expert witness for the defense, said he believes Montgomery has paranoid schizophrenia and is not competent to stand trial. But a state psychiatrist who examined Montgomery disagrees..

In fact, prosecutors think they’re being played.

They noted he has never sought mental health treatment and that his father said his behavior is likely linked to drug use.

Prosecutors said he has functioned well enough while incarcerated to ask relatives to send him books on civil rights leaders and religious material, such as the Quran.

Either way, this case has tragedy written all over it, even above the murders of the officers. First of all, Montgomery has two children, so that’s no good. And his life sounds troubled.

At Monday’s hearing, Hinton, his aunt, spoke of a troubled man who has remained mentally unstable since his teen years.

Montgomery lived with his grandmother as a child because his mother drank heavily, Hinton said. His mother died in a 2003 fire.

Montgomery had little contact with his father, she said.

He attended South Mecklenburg High School, but dropped out in 11th grade. At the time of the police shooting, he was one credit shy of earning his GED certificate.

Hinton said Montgomery’s behavior became erratic after an altercation with police in 1999. Montgomery suffered an injury to his head.

Records show Montgomery was arrested in 1998, charged with larceny and resisting a public officer. He was 16. Montgomery has been found guilty of assaulting a government official or resisting a public officer at least four times, N.C. court records show

In 2004, Montgomery was arrested for hitting the mother of his two children. The police report said he punched the woman on the side of the face several times at their northeast Charlotte apartment, leaving red marks and a bloodshot eye. He was sentenced to 18 months of probation, which records show he violated in 2005.

Hinton said relatives encouraged Montgomery to seek mental health treatment, but never forced him. She said she was worried about his behavior because even as a grown-up he played with children’s toys and watched cartoons.

Montgomery’s competency hearing resumes today.

So sad.

Mental health of suspect in cop killings argued

liz | 1:59 PM | SCHIZOPHRENIA