A former college student who randomly killed a Florida couple in their garage six years ago and then chewed on one victim’s face goes to trial Monday. Austin Harrouff has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to two counts of first-degree murder.
If convicted, Harrouff will be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole; prosecutors waived the death penalty.
Two mental health experts, one hired by prosecutors and one by the defense, examined Harrouff and found that he suffered an acute psychotic episode during the attack. They also found that he couldn’t distinguish between right and wrong.Prosecutors then hired a second expert who said Harrouff was sane, but recently withdrew him saying he has serious health issues. They now have a third expert who believes Harrouff was on a drug that didn’t appear in post-arrest tests, but has not examined him.
She said for insanity defenses that reach trial, defendants who waive a jury have the most success. Judges understand the system, she said, while jurors often worry that defendants acquitted by reason of insanity will be released sooner. They also may question whether treatment at a mental hospital works.“There is decades of research showing that is biased against the insanity defense and it is widely misunderstood,” she said.
, an electric stun gun and a police dog to subdue Harrouff. Officers didn’t shoot him because they feared hitting Stevens.Investigators found he purchased some hallucinogenic mushrooms a few days before the attack, but friends said he destroyed them and no trace was found in his blood. He also did Google searches for “how to know if you are going crazy.”Harrouff’s parents, who are divorced, and others said he had acted strangely for weeks.
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