Opinion ID: 2523730
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 13

Heading: Testimony of Dr. Heinrich

Text: Dr. Larry Heinrich, a clinical psychologist, testified in mitigation. Heinrich reviewed the police investigative reports of the murders of Estrada and Mena, defendant's January 30, 2000, statement to police, defendant's juvenile and criminal arrest records, defendant's statement regarding the stabbing of Jon-Pierre Blackamore, and a social history report prepared by defendant's mitigation expert. Heinrich also spent at least six hours interviewing and testing defendant personally, and he administered two screening tests. The first measured defendant's level of literacy, which Heinrich concluded was at the high school level, indicating at least average intelligence. Heinrich also administered the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory III, which he described as a standardized psychological measure to assist the clinical opinion. Heinrich opined that defendant suffers from a severe personality disorder which is called not otherwise specified because it has mixed features of the various other personality disorders. Specifically, Heinrich found features that were avoidant, antisocial, sadistic, and negativistic. He explained that a defining characteristic of a personality disorder is that it is pervasive, rigid, and inflexible; he thus opined that defendant would have been influenced by the personality disorder at the time of the murders. Heinrich also agreed that, as an axis II diagnosis, [4] the personality disorder constituted an extreme mental disorder. Defense counsel asked Heinrich whether anything in the reports of Forensic Clinical Services psychiatrists Drs. Rabin and Henry, and FCS psychologist Dr. Coleman, who had all evaluated defendant previously, supported his diagnosis. Heinrich noted that each of them had also diagnosed defendant with a personality disorder not otherwise specified, but Henry and Coleman included an additional diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder. Heinrich also noted that other psychiatrists who had evaluated defendant had found features of a variety of personality disorders, including borderline personality, schizotypal personality, avoidant personality, and antisocial personality. According to Heinrich, these various diagnoses are all consistent with his evaluation of not otherwise specified. Referring specifically to Dr. Henry's report, Heinrich opined that a diagnosis of personality disorder not otherwise specified should not be made along with another personality disorder. According to Heinrich, if a person does not fit into a specific personality disorder, the last personality disorder is called not otherwise specified, meaning that the individual has traits and features of all [or] some of the eight other personality disorders; so, therefore, if you have this personality disorder not otherwise specified you don't have another personality disorder. You can't have two of those because the [not otherwise specified] is to categorize features and traits ofof several personality disorders, and that's precisely what Mr. Baez has is a `not otherwise specified' or `mixed.' In other words, he has traits, features of several different personality disorders but nonetheless a severe personality disorder. Heinrich noted that Dr. Coleman had diagnosed both antisocial personality disorder and personality disorder not otherwise specified. When asked about the use of both diagnoses together, Heinrich answered, You can't do it. I mean, if you have antisocial then you don't put anothera personality disorder is one personality disorder so you have to make up your mind whether you have one of the first eight or the last one [not otherwise specified]. And they're putting in the last one which includes features and elements of all the ones prior to that. Heinrich also opined that defendant did not suffer from antisocial personality disorder. According to Heinrich, while a person suffering from antisocial personality disorder displays behavior that is calculated, cunning, and premeditated, defendant's behavior in this case was impulsive, confused, and phobic. In particular, he opined that defendant had behaved in a bizarre manner with respect to the swords he used in the crime, and that dismemberment was not consistent with antisocial personality disorder. He also opined that defendant was not a real sociopath. Heinrich noted that defendant was taking several psychotropic medications at the time of the hearing. Heinrich explained that Dr. Kelly, who had evaluated defendant's fitness to plead and be sentenced, believed the medications were necessary to keep defendant fit. At the end of Heinrich's direct testimony, defense counsel asked Heinrich, Doctor, in your opinion on the date of the death of Mr. Estrada and Miss Mena, was Teodoro Baez suffering from an extreme mental or emotional disturbance? Heinrich answered, Yes. On cross-examination, Heinrich acknowledged that he had used the term mixed personality disorder in his report rather than not otherwise specified, but he asserted that the terms referred to the same thing. The State then asked about antisocial behavior disorder, and Heinrich maintained that defendant did not suffer from that disorder. He agreed that the DSM lists four criteria for a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder, and the State asked about each criterion individually. The first criterion is that the patient display a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others, indicated by at least three of the following: (1) failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors, as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest; (2) deceitfulness, as indicated by repeatedly lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal property or pleasure; (3) impulsivity or failure to plan ahead; (4) irritability and aggression as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults; (5) reckless disregard for the safety of others; (6) consistent irresponsibility as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations; and (7) lack of remorse as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another. Heinrich acknowledged that defendant failed to conform to social norms of lawful behavior and displayed impulsivity, irritability and aggression, irresponsibility, and a lack of remorse. He denied that defendant displayed evidence of deceitfulness, but he acknowledged that defendant had lied to other psychiatrists since his arrest, and that defendant admitted that his behavior with respect to the swords was an attempt to hide evidence he had used in the crime. The second diagnostic criterion is that the patient be at least 18 years old. The third criterion is evidence of conduct disorder, a diagnosis given only to children, with onset before age 15. The fourth criterion requires that the antisocial behavior not occur exclusively during schizophrenic or manic episodes. Heinrich acknowledged that defendant met each of these requirements. Ultimately, Heinrich agreed that defendant displayed each and every diagnostic criteria for antisocial personality disorder listed in the DSM-IV-TR.