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Timothy Jones Jr.- Case Archive
2019 Murder Trialtrial-daytrial-dayShawn GrahamSuzanne MayesBoyd YoungJulie DorneyBeverly WooddirectcrossredirectsidebarDay 23 - May 31, 2019Defense psychiatrists testified about diagnoses and criminal-responsibility opinions before the defense rested; the court denied a mistrial and directed-verdict request.
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Day 23 - May 31, 2019

Defense Psychiatrists Testify, Defense Rests, And Motions Are Denied

Judge Eugene C. Griffith, Jr.
10Proceedings
4Pages
2Witnesses
1,680Lines
1Sidebars
Day 23 of 32
Appearing:
Shawn Graham Suzanne Mayes Boyd Young Julie Dorney Beverly Wood

Defense psychiatrists testified about diagnoses and criminal-responsibility opinions before the defense rested; the court denied a mistrial and directed-verdict request.

Full day summary

Defense psychiatric testimony continued with Dr. Beverly Wood, a treating psychiatrist, and Dr. Julie Dorney, a forensic psychiatrist. Wood described a working diagnosis of schizo-affective disorder, while limiting her testimony to treatment rather than Jones's state of mind on August 28, 2014. Dorney testified about her diagnosis and her opinions concerning criminal responsibility; on cross-examination, she addressed the records, reported symptoms, substance use, and conduct that informed or limited those opinions, including her acknowledgement that Jones knew legal wrongfulness as to the other four children. The court addressed objections concerning the scope of psychiatric testimony and legal issues. The defense then rested after Jones said he did not wish to testify. Outside the jury's presence, the court denied a mistrial request concerning references to cocaine use, renewed defense motions, and a directed-verdict request based on the insanity defense.

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1. Beverly Wood — Direct/Cross/Redirect

Dr. Beverly Wood testified about her prison treatment of Tim Jones, a working schizo-affective disorder diagnosis, and the limits of her opinion about his mental state in 2014.

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Procedural
Morning Session Opening
6 lines
Direct
Beverly Wood — Direct Beverly Wood Boyd Young
128 lines

Dr. Beverly Wood described treating Tim Jones for reported psychiatric symptoms, her schizo-affective-disorder diagnosis, medication, and her view that he had an underlying mental illness.

Cross
Beverly Wood — Cross Beverly Wood Suzanne Mayes
189 lines

Wood limited her opinion to treatment, described gaps in the information she received, and the court cautioned the prosecution about characterizing Mr. Jones's cocaine use.

Redirect
Beverly Wood — Redirect Beverly Wood Boyd Young
11 lines

Wood said disorganized thinking was not required for the diagnoses discussed and confirmed she was not being paid to testify.

2. Bench Conference on Limits of Dorney Testimony

Before Dr. Julie Dorney testified, the court limited questions about social-history records and noted the defense objection.

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sidebar
Limits on Dorney Testimony
18 lines

The bench conference addressed the permissible scope of Dr. Dorney's testimony concerning social-history records.

3. Julie Dorney — Direct/Cross/Redirect

Forensic psychiatrist Julie Dorney continued defending her opinion that Timothy Ray Jones Jr. had schizo-affective disorder and lacked relevant criminal-responsibility capacity at the time of the children’s deaths.

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Direct
Julie Dorney — Direct Julie Dorney Boyd Young
327 lines

Forensic psychiatrist Julie Dorney testified that Jones had schizo-affective disorder and gave criminal-responsibility opinions supporting the defense's insanity theory; the court required clarification about the limits of related testing evidence.

Cross
Julie Dorney — Cross Julie Dorney Shawn Graham
321 lines

The prosecution challenged the foundation and alternative explanations for Dorney's psychiatric opinions; the court limited references to legal issues and considered a correction to cocaine evidence.

Cross
Julie Dorney — Continued Cross Julie Dorney Shawn Graham
561 lines

Graham challenged Dorney's diagnosis and criminal-responsibility opinions through malingering tests, substance use, reported beliefs, and post-event conduct; Dorney maintained her core analysis while recognizing limits and distinctions within it.

Redirect
Julie Dorney — Redirect Julie Dorney Boyd Young
68 lines

Dorney reaffirmed her insanity opinion, distinguished moral from legal wrongfulness, and said she found no support for a motive involving Amber; the court limited social-history testimony.

4. Defense Rests and Post-Testimony Motions

The defense rested after Mr. Jones said he would not testify. The court denied defense mistrial and renewed motions outside the jury's presence; the State planned a short reply witness before closings.

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Procedural
Defense Rests and Post-Testimony Motions
51 lines

The defense rested, Mr. Jones declined to testify, and the court denied a mistrial request over cocaine-use references along with renewed defense motions.

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