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‘Diabolical’ act committed by Mississippi teen Carly Gregg disqualifies her from insanity defense in mother’s murder trial: psychiatrist

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‘Diabolical’ act committed by Mississippi teen Carly Gregg disqualifies her from insanity defense in mother’s murder trial: psychiatrist


Mississippi teen Carly Gregg was severely depressed and possibly hearing voices when she allegedly gunned down her own mother, psychiatrists testified at her trial Thursday — but one argued she committed a “diabolical” act that keeps her from meeting the requirements of an insanity defense.

“I used the word diabolical. And I stand by that word,” psychiatrist Jason Pickett said of the 15-year-old, who was caught on camera texting her stepfather “When will you be home honey?” from her mother Ashley Smylie’s phone moments after allegedly shooting the 40-year-old in the face on March 19.

The text was an apparent trick to lure her stepfather home — when he returned a short time later, Gregg allegedly fired a pistol at him and grazed him in the shoulder.

Carly Gregg was caught apparently texting her stepfather to lure him home after allegedly shooting her mother. Law&Crime

“When she did that, to me, that was very specific and diabolical. And that to me is not consistent with a dissociative spell, it is not consistent with psychosis, that is not consistent with mania,” said Pickett, who interviewed Gregg for over four hours after her arrest, according to WAPT.

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“In my opinion, Carly does not meet Mississippi’s standard for insanity at the time of the offense and she knew the nature and quality of her actions on that day.”

In Mississippi, defendants can be acquitted on the grounds of insanity if it’s demonstrated they were unable to understand the severity or impact of their actions, according to Justia Law — which is what Gregg’s defense is trying to establish.

Other psychiatrists at the trial painted a picture of a girl who was suffering severe mental illness in the lead-up to the alleged murder — including one who insisted Gregg was hearing voices.

Dr. Jason Pickett testified that Gregg’s text to her stepfather demonstrated that she knew what she was doing during the murder. Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“She said she had been hearing one voice, a male voice, since she was young — maybe around five or six years old,” said Dr. Amanda Gugliano, who also interviewed Gregg after her arrest.

“She said she heard the voice every day, but it was always in the background and she was able to tune it out,” Gugliano said, explaining the voice Gregg told her about was a snide critic who would make comments about people.

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On Wednesday, Dr. Andrew Clark testified that the voices in Gregg’s head had been intensifying leading up to the shooting, and that she experienced a mental break that day and has no recollection of the incident.

But other medical professionals who worked with Gregg disputed the claim about the alleged voices.

Gregg was 14 at the time of the alleged murder, and going through a period of severe mental unrest, psychologists testified. Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Olivia Leber — a nurse who worked with Gregg in January before the killing — said she never complained about voices, delusions, or hallucinations while she was being diagnosed with major depressive disorder.

And Rebecca Kirk — a counselor who also met with Gregg in January after her parents said she was having severe intrusive thoughts — testified that the girl insisted she was not hearing voices.

Gregg and Kirk met nine different times and even had conversations about “Crime and Punishment,” the Russian novel about a man who murders a woman and then becomes plagued by anguish and guilt. But during none of those sessions did Gregg exhibit anything that might indicate she was about to commit murder, Kirk said.

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Home surveillance footage from the family’s home in Brandon showed Smylie and her daughter coming home after apparently taking their dogs for a walk. Gregg was seen shuffling about the house, and eventually followed her mother out of the frame before three gunshots and screams rang out.

Ashley Smylie, Gregg’s mother, was shot in the face. Northwest Rankin High School

The teen then returned to the view of the camera with something behind her back, and appeared to be deliberately facing the camera. Within moments she picked up her mother’s phone and sent off a text message.

Clark suggested the news of her mother’s recent discovery of the teen’s marijuana habit, coupled with the emotional turmoil she was going through, might have sparked a psychotic episode.

“For Carly, in particular, she so cared about her mother’s approval, so for her, this was a crisis,” Clark said.

The teen faces charges of murder, attempted murder and tampering with evidence — along with 30 years to life in prison if convicted.

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Mississippi Top Reads for week of March 15, 2026

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Mississippi Top Reads for week of March 15, 2026


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Sunday, March 15, 2026

1. (tie) “The Irish Goodbye,” Beth Ann Fennelly, Norton; and “Vigil,” George Saunders, Random House

2. “Theo of Golden,” Allen Levi, Atria Books

3. “The Widow,” John Grisham, Doubleday

4. “The Correspondent,” Virginia Evans, Random House

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5. “When It’s Darkness on the Delta,” W. Ralph Eubanks, Beacon Press

6. “Eradication,” Jonathan Miles, Doubleday

7. “Neptune’s Fortune,” Julian Sancton, Random House

8. “The Dean,” Sparky Reardon, The Nautilus Publishing Company

9. “Kin,” Tayari Jones, Random House

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10. “Brawler,” Lauren Groff, Riverhead

Children and young adults

1. “The Bear and the Hair and the Fair,” Em Lynas, Little Brown

2. “The Hybrid Prince,” Tui T. Sutherland, Scholastic Press

3. “One Mississippi,” Steve Azar,Sarah Frances Hardy (Illustrator), The Nautilus Publishing

4. “If You Make a Call on a Banana Phone,” Gideon Sterer, HarperCollins

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5. (tie) “Fancy Nancy: Besties for Eternity,” Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser (Illustrator), HarperCollins; and “The Dark is For,” Jane Kohuth, Simon and Schuster

Adult events (Sunday, March 15–Saturday, March 21)

Amy McDowell in conversation with Jodi Skipper for “Whispers in the Pews,” 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Off Square Books, 129 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2262

Tayari Jones on Thacker Mountain Radio Hour for “Kin,” 6 p.m. Thursday, Off Square Books, 129 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2262

Children’s events (Sunday, March 15–Saturday, March 21)

No Cap Book Club (kids 10-13) will be reading “A Kid’s Book About…,” 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207

Storytime, “Clifford: Dream Big,” 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207

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Chapter Captains Book Club (kids 6-9) will be reading “Princess in Black: Bathtime Battle,” 6:00 p.m. Thursday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207

Storytime, “What a Small Cat Needs,” 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207

Story Time, “Very Hungry Caterpillar” Day! 10 a.m. Saturday, Lemuria Books, 202 Banner Hall, 4465 I-55 North, Jackson, 601-366-7619

Sales and/or Events Reported by Lemuria Books (Jackson); Lorelei Books (Vicksburg); Square Books (Oxford).

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Who finished No. 1 in Mississippi high school basketball Super 25 girls rankings?

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Who finished No. 1 in Mississippi high school basketball Super 25 girls rankings?


The Mississippi girls high school basketball 2025-26 season has ended.

The MHSAA championships concluded March 7 at Mississippi Coliseum, while the MAIS overall tournament ended two weeks ago. Starkville finished as the No. 1 team in the final Clarion Ledger Mississippi high school girls basketball Super 25 rankings.

Two teams enter the Super 25 final rankings as Louisville joins from MHSAA 4A and East Rankin Academy in MAIS 4A.

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Mississippi high school girls basketball Super 25 rankings

1. Starkville (31-3)

MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 1. Final game: Starkville 39, Harrison Central 22 in MHSAA 7A championship.

2. Laurel (31-2)

MHSAA Class 5A. Previous ranking: 3. Final game: Laurel 52, Holmes County Central 26 in MHSAA 5A championship.

3. Biloxi (30-2)

MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 2. Final game: Starkville 41, Biloxi 34 in MHSAA 7A semifinals.

4. Tishomingo County (28-2)

MHSAA Class 4A. Previous ranking: 4. Final game: Tishomingo County 64, Louisville 49 in MHSAA 4A championship.

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5. Olive Branch (23-7)

MHSAA Class 6A. Previous ranking: 8. Final game: Olive Branch 58, Neshoba Central 57 in MHSAA 6A championship.

6. Harrison Central (26-7)

MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 7. Final game: Starkville 39, Harrison Central 22 in MHSAA 7A championship.

7. Neshoba Central (26-7)

MHSAA Class 6A. Previous ranking: 5. Final game: Olive Branch 58, Neshoba Central 57 in MHSAA 6A championship.

8. Madison Central (25-7)

MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 6. Final game: Harrison Central 56, Madison Central 40 in MHSAA 7A semifinals.

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9. Booneville (24-4)

MHSAA Class 3A. Previous ranking: 9. Final game: Booneville 54, Belmont 31 in MHSAA 3A championship.

10. Canton (26-5)

MHSAA Class 6A. Previous ranking: 10. Final game: Olive Branch 47, Canton 41 in MHSAA 6A quarterfinals.

11. Ingomar (33-2)

MHSAA Class 1A. Previous ranking: 12. Final game: Ingomar 65, Okolona 48 in MHSAA 1A championship.

12. Northwest Rankin (24-8)

MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 13. Final game: Harrison Central 45, Northwest Rankin 42 in MHSAA 7A quarterfinals.

13. Madison-Ridgeland Academy (36-5)

MAIS Class 4A. Previous ranking: 14. Final game: MRA 37, Simpson Academy 25 in MAIS Overall championship.

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14. Pontotoc (23-9)

MHSAA Class 5A. Previous ranking: 16. Final game: Laurel 63, Pontotoc 38 in MHSAA 5A semifinals.

15. Brandon (23-8)

MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 17. Final game: Biloxi 55, Brandon 39 in MHSAA 7A quarterfinals.

16. Louisville (22-8)

MHSAA Class 6A. Previous ranking: Not ranked. Final game: Tishomingo County 64, Louisville 49 in MHSAA 4A championship.

17. Morton (27-3)

MHSAA Class 4A. Previous ranking: 11. Final game: Tishomingo County 65, Morton 40 in MHSAA 4A semifinals.

18. Choctaw Central (24-6)

MHSAA Class 4A. Previous ranking: 15. Final game: Morton 48, Choctaw Central 36 in MHSAA 4A quarterfinals.

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19. Holmes County Central (22-12)

MHSAA Class 5A. Previous ranking: 23. Final game: Laurel 52, Holmes County Central 26 in MHSAA 5A championship.

20. Brookhaven (25-6)

MHSAA Class 5A. Previous ranking: 18. Final game: Holmes County Central 61, Brookhaven 55 in MHSAA 5A semifinals.

21. Belmont (24-7)

MHSAA Class 3A. Previous ranking: 19. Final game: Booneville 54, Belmont 31 in MHSAA 3A championship.

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22. Simpson Academy (31-6)

MAIS Class 4A. Previous ranking: 21. Final game: MRA 37, Simpson Academy 25 in MAIS Overall championship.

23. West Harrison (24-5)

MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 22. Final game: Brandon 54, West Harrison 45 in MHSAA 7A first round.

24. East Union (30-2)

MHSAA Class 2A. Previous ranking: 24. Final game: East Union 57, New Site 38 in MHSAA 2A championship.

25. East Rankin Academy (31-7)

MAIS Class 4A. Previous ranking: Not ranked. Final game: MRA 57, East Rankin Academy 43 in MAIS Overall semifinals.

Michael Chavez covers high school sports, among others, for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at mchavez@gannett.com or reach out to him on X, formerly Twitter @MikeSChavez.

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NCAA appeals to Mississippi Supreme Court, seeking to bar Trinidad Chambliss from playing in 2026

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NCAA appeals to Mississippi Supreme Court, seeking to bar Trinidad Chambliss from playing in 2026


JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The NCAA has filed an appeal in the eligibility case of Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss.

In the appeal, filed Thursday with the Mississippi Supreme Court, the NCAA argues that Chambliss has “exhausted his eligibility” to play Division I football because he has already played four seasons in a five-year period, the maximum allowed under NCAA rules.

A Mississippi judge last month granted Chambliss a preliminary injunction against college athletics’ governing body, giving him an extra year of eligibility that would allow him to play in 2026. The NCAA had previously denied Chambliss’ request for a waiver.

Chambliss began his college career at Ferris State in 2021, redshirted his first season and did not play in 2022 because of medical issues. He played two more seasons at the Division II school in Michigan, leading the Bulldogs to a national championship before transferring to Ole Miss before the start of last season.

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The 23-year-old Chambliss led the Rebels to the College Football Playoff semifinals.





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