Opinion ID: 2229872
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Antisocial Personality Disorder Evidence

Text: At his sentencing hearing, the State introduced an affidavit from Dr. Nageswararao Vallabhaneni, who is a psychiatrist at the Department of Corrections. The affidavit provided: I diagnosed [defendant] with Antisocial Personality Disorder which is defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) (American Psychiatric Association) as a `pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood.' The State also introduced affidavits from Dr. Barbara Drill and Dr. John Garlick, who both examined defendant and prepared reports while he was a juvenile. Dr. Drill concluded in her affidavit that defendant showed personality characteristics and behaviors typical of antisocial sociopathy and predicted that his criminal behavior would likely recur without successful treatment. In sentencing the defendant to death, the trial judge noted Dr. Vallabhaneni's diagnosis and defendant's history of antisocial behavior.