Capital Gazette Shooter Trial: Testimony Continues In Jarrod Ramos' Insanity Case
ANNAPOLIS (WJZ) -- The first week of the trial in the Capital Gazette shooting wrapped up on Friday.
Witnesses include the defendant's sister, a veterinary technician who took care of the defendant's sick cat and a neurologist who examined the shooter.
Prosecutors got their chance to question the Capital Gazette shooter's sister on Friday after a tornado warning abruptly cut off proceedings Thursday afternoon.
During cross-examination, it was revealed that the defendant had a secret clearance for one of his jobs, frequently traveled to play poker in Atlantic City, and had hopes to play professionally one day.
At one point, the lead prosecutor, State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess asked, "He had a good poker face didn't he?" The defendant's sister answered, "Yes."
"What's the significance of that question and answer?" WJZ reporter Ava-joye Burnett asked law professor, Doug Colbert.
"I think the prosecution will suggest that Mr. Ramos is gaming the system, that this whole plot, this whole tragedy was not something that was done because of a mental disorder. He was a clear-thinking person and by going and being a gambler, he's able to present himself in a way where the other players will never be able to read what's he's actually thinking," says Colbert, who teaches at the University of Maryland School of Law.
The defense brought in a neurologist who's also a neuroscientist.
The neurologist, Thomas Hyde, M.D. said he examined the shooter twice and determined he suffers from Autism Spectrum Disorder.
"I formed an opinion that Ramos suffers from autism spectrum disorder without intellectual impairment," said Dr. Hyde.
The doctor also said he was an isolated person who had no friends.
There was also a veterinary technician who helped the defendant when his cat was dying from cancer. The defense has painted the relationship with the cat as the only significant attachment the defendant had.
The defendant committed the mass shooting just weeks after the cat died. Five people died that day, Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith and Wendi Winters.
Court will resume on Tuesday and not on Monday because that is a holiday.
https://twitter.com/AvajoyeWJZ
