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Criminal Law Keyed to Gershowitz
State v. Guthrie
Citation:
194 W.Va. 657, 461 S.E.2d 163
ProfessorScott Caron
CaseCast™ – "What you need to know"
Facts
On February 12, 1993, the defendant stabbed a co-worker, Steven Todd Farley, in the neck which killed him. The defendant and the victim worked together as dishwashers. Farley was teasing the defendant by saying “‘lighten up’ and snapped him with a dishtowel several times.” This is when the defendant stabbed the victim. The defendant suffered from psychiatric issues including panic attacks, chronic depression, body dysmorphic disorder, and borderline personality disorder. However, a psychiatrist felt the defendant was sane at the time of the incident. He was charged with first degree murder.
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