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Timothy Jones Jr.- Case Archive
2019 Murder Trialtrial-daytrial-dayShawn GrahamRobert MadsenBoyd YoungRichard FriersonBethany YeiserdirectcrossredirectDay 22 - May 30, 2019The court excluded Bethany Yeiser's proposed testimony, then heard court-appointed psychiatrist Richard Frierson's criminal-responsibility opinions and denied a defense mistrial motion.
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Day 22 - May 30, 2019

Yeiser Testimony Excluded; Frierson Gives Criminal-Responsibility Opinion

Judge Eugene C. Griffith, Jr.
8Proceedings
5Pages
2Witnesses
2,043Lines
Day 22 of 32
Appearing:
Shawn Graham Robert Madsen Boyd Young Richard Frierson Bethany Yeiser

The court excluded Bethany Yeiser's proposed testimony, then heard court-appointed psychiatrist Richard Frierson's criminal-responsibility opinions and denied a defense mistrial motion.

Full day summary

The court excluded Bethany Yeiser's proposed testimony after a proffer, finding it irrelevant or unhelpful and likely to cause prejudice and jury confusion. Court-appointed forensic psychiatrist Richard Frierson then testified that Timothy Ray Jones, Jr. could distinguish legal and moral right from wrong at the time of the alleged offenses. Frierson diagnosed a substance-induced psychotic disorder related to spice, along with cannabis-use and alcohol-use disorders, and testified that the reported voices were anxious thoughts rather than auditory hallucinations. He also testified that Jones retained the capacity to conform his conduct to the law. The court admitted a still image from a prison suicide-attempt video and a Navy separation document, and later denied a defense mistrial motion concerning the instruction identifying Frierson as the court's evaluator.

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1. Hearing on Limiting Instruction for Dr. Frierson

Counsel addressed a limiting instruction for Dr. Frierson's evaluation testimony before the jury entered.

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Procedural
Video Evidence Ruling and Witness Scheduling
10 lines
Procedural
Hearing on Limiting Instruction for Dr. Frierson
91 lines

The judge ordered a limiting instruction before Dr. Frierson testified and deferred questions about any later penalty-phase use.

2. Hearing on Proposed Bethany Yeiser Testimony

Before the jury entered, the court ordered a proffer on proposed testimony from Bethany Yeiser after the State objected and the defense argued her experience could aid the jury's assessment of schizophrenia.

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Procedural
Hearing on Proposed Bethany Yeiser Testimony
45 lines

The judge ordered a proffer before deciding whether Bethany Yeiser could testify about her experience with schizophrenia.

3. Bethany Yeiser — Proffer

Bethany Yeiser testified in a defense proffer about schizophrenia, psychotic symptoms, treatment, and recovery.

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Direct
Bethany Yeiser — Proffer Direct Bethany Yeiser Robert Madsen
154 lines

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

4. Ruling Excluding Bethany Yeiser’s Proffered Testimony

The judge excluded Bethany Yeiser’s proposed schizophrenia testimony and ruled that the jury need not view the full suicide-attempt video for Dr. Frierson to discuss his opinions.

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Procedural
Ruling Excluding Bethany Yeiser’s Proffered Testimony
22 lines

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.

5. Richard Frierson — Direct/Cross/Redirect

Richard Frierson testified that Timothy Ray Jones Jr. had substance-related disorders but could distinguish right from wrong; cross-examination and redirect focused on his evaluation, reported symptoms, and post-death conduct.

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Direct
Richard Frierson — Direct Richard Frierson Boyd Young
621 lines

Court-appointed psychiatrist Richard Frierson testified that Mr. Jones could distinguish right from wrong at the time of the alleged offenses while diagnosing substance-induced psychosis associated with spice.

Cross
Richard Frierson — Cross Richard Frierson Shawn Graham
989 lines

Forensic psychiatrist Richard Frierson testified that Mr. Jones's symptoms were substance-induced and that Jones could distinguish right from wrong and conform his conduct to the law.

Redirect
Richard Frierson — Redirect Richard Frierson Boyd Young
111 lines

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

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