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Timothy Jones Jr.- Case Archive
personpersonBethany YeiserBethany YeiserWriter and schizophrenia educator who managed the CURESZ Foundation and wrote a memoir about her recovery.← All People
Witness

Bethany Yeiser

Writer and schizophrenia educator who managed the CURESZ Foundation and wrote a memoir about her recovery.

Appeared2019 Murder Trial
77 lines·5 proceedings·3 mentions

About

Bethany Yeiser gave proffer testimony on Day 22 after the defense sought to use her personal experience with schizophrenia to address whether the condition can coexist with intelligence and rational behavior. Before the proffer, the State argued that qualified mental-health experts could address schizophrenia and that Yeiser's personal account was irrelevant and prejudicial. The court ordered the proffer before deciding admissibility.

In the proffer, Yeiser described the onset of symptoms, delusions, voices and command hallucinations, lack of insight into her illness, functional decline, homelessness, hospital evaluation, and medication experiences. She testified that Clozapine later brought remission and that she had not relapsed for 11 years.

The court excluded the proposed testimony, finding that Yeiser's personal experiences would not help the jury decide Timothy Jones, Jr.'s mental state in August 2014 and could cause confusion and prejudice. The defense later asked the court to reconsider and, during the later phase of the case, requested that the jury hear the prior proffer recording. The court maintained the exclusion but allowed the testimony to be marked and republished as a proffer exhibit.

Key Points

Trial Record (5)

Trial 12019 Murder TrialApr 29, 2019 – Jun 13, 2019Called by defense

Bethany Yeiser gave Day 22 proffer testimony about her experience with schizophrenia, psychotic symptoms, treatment, and recovery. The court excluded the testimony from jury consideration and later declined to permit the prior proffer recording to be played for the jury.

Day 22

DirectBethany Yeiser — Proffer DirectBethany YeiserRobert Madsen2highlights76lines spoken

Summary

Bethany Yeiser gave a proffer describing schizophrenia symptoms, treatment, and long-term recovery.

Highlights (2)

testimony highlightYeiser testified that a psychotic episode during her senior year caused failing grades and prevented her graduation from USC; she later earned a molecular biology degree after recovery.Open in transcript →
Quote“They would scream and scream inside of my mind until I did whatever they were telling me to do.”— Bethany YeiserYeiser used this description to explain her experience of command hallucinations.Open in transcript →
ProceduralRuling Excluding Bethany Yeiser’s Proffered Testimony1highlight1line spoken

Summary

The court excluded Bethany Yeiser's proposed testimony, rejected the defense's expert and constitutional arguments, and marked a suicide-attempt video as a Court's Exhibit for identification only.

Highlights (1)

rulingThe court excluded Bethany Yeiser's proposed testimony, finding it irrelevant or unhelpful and likely to create prejudice and jury confusion; the court also declined to qualify her as an expert.Open in transcript →
RedirectRichard Frierson — RedirectRichard FriersonBoyd Young1highlightMentioned

Summary

Frierson addressed reported symptoms on redirect; the court reaffirmed exclusion of Bethany Yeiser's testimony and received proposed social-history material for identification.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Highlights (1)

Quote“My decision stays the same about that.”— Eugene C. Griffith, Jr.The judge declined to revisit the exclusion of Bethany Yeiser's proposed testimony.Open in transcript →

Day 29

ProceduralPlanned Mitigation Proffers2highlightsMentioned

Summary

The court declined to play Bethany Yeiser's prior proffer for the jury, preserved the defense objection, and excused the jury for planned mitigation proffers.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Highlights (2)

rulingThe court declined to allow Bethany Yeiser's prior proffer testimony to be played for the jury, finding it irrelevant to mitigation and, if relevant, confusing and prejudicial; it permitted the testimony to be marked as an exhibit and republished as a proffer.Open in transcript →
Quote“I don't think it would be -- I think it would be prejudicial and confusing if it were played or presented during any phase.”— Eugene C. Griffith, Jr.The court explained why it would not permit Yeiser's prior proffer testimony to be presented to the jury.Open in transcript →