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Mistrial for Psychologist's Alleged "Cleaver Killer"
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 18, 2010
Modified Oct 18, 2010
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By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 18, 2010
Modified Oct 18, 2010
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Before a jury could even be finalized, a State Supreme Court judge has declared a mistrial in the case of the schizophrenic man accused of slaughtering a psychologist with a meat cleaver in February 2008. Though David Tarloff was found fit to stand trial in August, today two court-appointed doctors visited Tarloff in his holding cell and found him "catatonic" and mentally unfit to stand trial. "He stripped down naked and was running around the ward," one of Tarloff's court-appointed lawyers told the judge. The Daily News reports that the "unfit" ruling elicited groans from the courtroom.
"I have to declare a mistrial," Judge Edward McLaughlin said. "That doesn't mean there won't be a trial at some point. But if there isn't, it is not because everything hasn't been explored." City Room says prosecutors "expressed skepticism" over the latest finding, and will have their own expert doctor examine Tarloff tomorrow. If that doctor also finds Tarloff unfit, he'll be sent to a mental institution for several months or a year until he is retested and found fit to stand trial.
On the day Tarloff allegedly killed Kathryn Faughey, he was waiting for his old psychiatrist, Dr. Kent Shinbach, who shared office spaces with Faughey. Tarloff allegedly slashed Faughey 15 times with a meat cleaver and then attacked Shinbach when the other doctor came into Faughey's office to intervene. Tarloff, 42, admits to slaying Faughey but says he was driven to kill her by voices that he thought were God telling him to do it. His lawyers, obviously, are arguing that he's innocent by reason of insanity.
Tagged
cleaver killer
david tarloff
mistrial
schizophrenic
unfit for trial
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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