The suspect in five killings blamed on hatred of other ethnic groups had an abnormal brain and stopped taking anti-psychotic medications before the shooting spree, a doctor testified Friday.
Testimony in the trial will continue throughout the weekend.
Dr. James Merikangas, a psychiatrist and neurologist hired by Richard Baumhammers' attorneys, testified Friday at the Allegheny County Courthouse that the Mount Lebanon man has an unusual amount of open space in the right side of his brain.
The differences became apparent in magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, tests on Baumhammers, who is accused of killing five people and wounding a sixth in Allegheny and Beaver counties on April 28, 2000.
Merikangas said that Baumhammers' brain was more lopsided than brains of most people.
"This is consistent with what we read in the literature about people with psychotic brain disorders," Merikangas said.
The defense team is trying to show jurors that Baumhammers was mentally ill and could not tell right from wrong. Prosecutors argue that the killings were motivated by a bitter hatred of other ethnic groups and that Baumhammers considered Adolf Hitler and Timothy McVeigh his heroes.
Merikangas said that Baumhammers, a 35-year-old non-practicing immigration lawyer, was delusional and thought that the FBI was following him. The doctor said that Baumhammers felt he had to perform a "right-wing hit" to end the surveillance.
Blood tests at the Beaver County Jail after Baumhammers' arrest showed no traces of the anti-psychotic and anti-depression medications that he had been taking for several months, the doctor said.
Also on Friday, psychologist Mark King testified that he refused to hypnotize Baumhammers in 1993 because King believed that it could lead to violence.
Baumhammers wanted hypnotism to help his concentration and make him comfortable in social settings, King said.
Baumhammers is also accused of ethnic intimidation -- Pennsylvania's version of a hate crime -- because the victims were either black, Jewish, Asian or Indian. Prosecutor Ed Borkowski is seeking the death penalty.
Previous Stories:
- May 3, 2001: Baumhammers' Father Cries During Trial
- May 2, 2001: Day 5: Cafe Owner Recalls Punch
- May 1, 2001: Day 4: Officer, Prisoner Testify
- April 30, 2001: Day 3: Man Recalls Death Of Friend
- April 30, 2001: Lone Shooting Spree Survivor Testifies
- April 28, 2001: Day 2: Testimony Continues At Baumhammers' Trial
- April 27, 2001: Day 1: Baumhammers Trial Opens
- April 8, 2001: Plea Bargains Offered For Baumhammers, Taylor
- March 20, 2001: Did Baumhammers Research Alleged Victims?
- September 16, 2000: Baumhammers Ruled Competent To Stand Trial
- August 29, 2000: Lone Shooting Spree Survivor Goes Home
- May 17, 2000: Heroes Honored In Beaver County
- May 3, 2000: Baumhammers Arraigned In Allegheny County
- May 3, 2000: Company Reposts Baumhammers' Site
- April 30, 2000: D.A. Says Note Could Reveal Hate Motive
- April 29, 2000: Who Is Richard Baumhammers?
- April 29, 2000: Suspect Arraigned In Shooting Spree
Copyright 2007 by ThePittsburghChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Haney Testifies At Trial
