Dennis Roache, 40, has already spent the last six years in prison for murder. His trial for a decapitation murder begins today in Clearwater. It's a particularly gruesome case and it will be difficult for the criminal defense attorney to overcome the emotional pull the jurors are bound to feel when presented with the prosecution's case. The article in the St. Pete Times mentions that Roache has suffered with mental problems. He's been found mentally incompetent to stand trial in other criminal cases, he's been institutionalized in a mental hospital and this is probably the best defense that can be presented in his case. The prosecution will in all likelihood attack this as a defense ploy in order for him to avoid the harshest sentence but a good, competent forensic psychiatrist may prove vital in his defense. Defense witness testimony could further bolster the claim of mental incompetence.
It will be an interesting trial and the lawyers skills on both sides will be tested. This is where criminal trial experience, knowledge of the law and an understanding of the psychology of a jury will play huge roles.
Leave a comment