Opinion ID: 165223
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Testimony of Dr. Curtis Grundy (for Weed)

Text: 11 Dr. Curtis Grundy is a licensed Oklahoma psychologist who first evaluated Weed to determine whether he was competent to stand trial. (IV R.O.A. at 11-12) Beginning five days after the offense, Dr. Grundy administered numerous psychological tests, reviewed the videotape of Weed after his arrest, interviewed Weed's friends and relatives about his behavior prior to the shooting, and reviewed Weed's records from the federal medical center where he was detained. ( Id. at 15-19) Dr. Grundy testified that Weed displayed symptoms of psychosis at the time of the shooting, including visual and auditory hallucinations, paranoia, delusions, and severe agitation. ( Id. at 19-20) He explained that although Weed demonstrated significant mental status impairment during the initial evaluative session, over the course of December 2001[ ] his symptoms were abating or resolving. ( Id. at 19) He therefore diagnosed Weed as having suffered from a brief psychotic disorder and noted that Weed showed no signs of malingering, or feigning symptoms of mental illness for secondary gain. ( Id. at 17, 29) 12 In December 2002, approximately one year after the crime, Dr. Grundy performed additional psychological tests in preparation for Weed's commitment hearing. These tests included a clinical interview and mental status evaluation to rate Weed for psychopathy and violence. ( Id. at 20) At the hearing, Dr. Grundy testified that Weed's psychotic symptoms had not recurred since December 2001, and that he currently met no Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV) 4 criteria for mental disease. ( Id. at 19, 21) In Dr. Grundy's opinion, Weed's brief psychotic disorder was caused by a mental defect. The exact nature of the defect, however, is unknown. ( Id. at 29, 32) Dr. Grundy testified that none of the tests he relied upon could predict whether Weed will experience another onset of symptoms. ( Id. at 35) He also testified that, according to the DSM-IV, recurrence of a brief psychotic disorder is rare. ( Id. at 33) 13 On cross-examination, Dr. Grundy agreed that a person who has suffered an onset of psychosis is more likely to suffer another occurrence and presents a greater risk to the public than someone who has never had such a condition. ( Id. at 43) Finally, Dr. Grundy stated the potential exists that Weed may still have the mental defect, but that it has not been triggered since December 2001. ( Id. at 33-34) 14