Hatchet Slinging Suspect Declared Insane

MARSHALL � After being determined competent in July to stand trial, Christopher Lynn Hamilton, the suspect accused of attacking two Marshall Wal-Mart associates and a customer with a hatchet, has now been declared legally insane. That’s according to KETK and the Marshall News-Messenger. Hamilton, a 28-year-old Arkansas transient, was arrested last December and charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

The insanity diagnosis, filed in the District Clerk�s office on Aug. 19, was made by psychologist Dr. Thomas G. Allen, who was appointed Aug. 6 by 71st Judicial District Judge Brad Morin to perform a psychiatric evaluation on Hamilton. That evaluation had been requested by Hamilton�s court-appointed attorney, Kyle Dansby. Dansby filed a notice of intent on Aug. 4 to raise the issue of insanity and then filed a motion Aug. 6 for examination regarding insanity.

�It appears to this examiner, with a reasonable degree of scientific certainty, that at the time of the conduct charged the defendant, Christopher Hamilton, was legally insane,� Allen said, �At the time, the defendant was unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of his actions due to the presence of severe mental disease or defect. Namely, the defendant was suffering from schizophrenia, undifferentiated type. The defendant did not know his conduct was wrong as defined by the laws of the state of Texas.�

Allen indicated that Hamilton�s behavior is consistent with onset of schizophrenia during the developmental years. �The history provided and the symptom presentation is consistent with what is known about schizophrenia, its onset and symptom pattern,� said Allen. �The defendant�s presentation was not melodramatic and malingering does not appear to be an issue.�