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| Updated: 1/25/2012 9:33 am |
Published: 1/24/2012 5:18 pm |
LITTLE ROCK, AR - The facts of the trial in Judge Wendell Griffen's courtroom are not in dispute.
Steven Russell admits killing his girlfriend Joy Owens.
On November 3rd 2009, North Little Rock officers responded to the Woodland Terrace Apartments and found Evans dead, shot 4 times.
Prosecutors in opening statements say Russell was mad that their relationship was ending and killed Evans in a pre-meditated, cold blooded fashion.
The defense team counters, saying Russell suffered from a psychotic episode related to post traumatic stress disorder.
"It's not common, but it certainly can happen."
Ronnie Goff counsels soldiers with PTSD. He's not involved with this case but says jurors have a lot to consider.
"The business of mental health is extremely subjective," Goff says. "It's unlike medicine where you can see someone has a broken arm and this is what you do for it."
It's a trial where facts are not in question, but the answer as to why it happened very much is.
