Both Sides Rest Their Case In Capital Gazette Mass Shooting Trial; Judge Hopes Closing Arguments Will Begin Thursday
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- Both sides have rested their case in the Capital Gazette mass shooting trial. The hope is that that closing arguments will begin Thursday morning.
On Wednesday, the prosecution's final witness, a psychiatrist, was back on the stand. The doctor said he interviewed the defendant for nearly 20 hours.
On the final day of testimony, the psychiatrist told the court that Jarrod Ramos decided he wanted to attack the Capital Gazette in early 2016 -- more than two years before the mass shooting.
In his testimony, the psychiatrist said the defendant told him he shaved and cut his hair in order to blend in. He also said that the defendant started a timer on his watch and wore it upside down on his wrist so he could keep an eye on the time while holding the gun.
The doctor also told the court that the defendant did not want to die that day. He said the fact that the defendant called 911 after the shooting, shows he could appreciate the criminality of his conduct.
A defense attorney cross-examined the psychiatrist for hours. The psychiatrist only interviewed the defendant and his sister and the last interview with the defendant was more than a year ago.
The defense attorney also highlighted that the doctor did not interview nurses or correctional officers who interacted with the defendant. The defense attorney questioned why the doctor didn't expand interviews to other family members, friends, or people who interacted with the defendant.
The defense attorney's line of questioning tried to make the point that the accuracy of the information in the doctor's more 100-plus page report, could have been the defendant's perception and without additional sources, it could be inaccurate.
University of Baltimore School of Law professor David Jaros has been following the case.
"These are difficult sort of mushy topics about what does it mean to be able to control yourself," said Jaros. "We've actually given the jury a pretty challenging job, because at the end of the day while we can give them instructions that that's what the law requires, they are the ones who are going to have to take all of this evidence and make some kind of determination as to whether or not he could control himself."
The judge said the hope is closing arguments will begin on Thursday so the jury can receive instructions for deliberations.
