Opinion ID: 844200
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Barbara C.

Text: In 1975, when defendant was 19 years of age, he assaulted Barbara C. in her bedroom. Barbara C., who had lived in the same neighborhood as defendant‘s family for 13 years and was the mother of defendant‘s girlfriend at the time, testified that she awoke one night in her bed to find defendant sitting on her chest with his hands around her throat ―trying to strangle me.‖ Struggling to breathe, Barbara C. managed to say, ―Billy,‖ at which time defendant stopped choking her and started to cry, saying he was on drugs or alcohol and needed help. Barbara C., who had not had a problem with defendant before this incident, said she would help him. After defendant walked out of the bedroom, Barbara C. dressed and went into the living room to find him, but defendant had left. When she returned to her bedroom, she found a knife on her bed pillow that did not belong to her and had not been there when she went to sleep. Following this incident, defendant 22 committed himself for a few days to Patton State Hospital, a psychiatric hospital, and then checked himself out.