Connect with us

West

Lawyer for California woman avoiding jail in marijuana stabbing stands by 'psychotic' defense: 'Not a con job'

Published

on

Lawyer for California woman avoiding jail in marijuana stabbing stands by 'psychotic' defense: 'Not a con job'

Join Fox News for access to this content

Plus get unlimited access to thousands of articles, videos and more with your free account!

Please enter a valid email address.

By entering your email, you are agreeing to Fox News Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive. To access the content, check your email and follow the instructions provided.

Lawyers for the California woman who avoided prison time in the killing her boyfriend after succumbing to a cannabis-induced psychosis are warning that extra potent marijuana strains from “illicit” providers can have unpredictable and tragic consequences, even in states where the drug is legal.

Bryn Spejcher, 32, stabbed her boyfriend Chad O’Melia 108 times after smoking an ultra-high potent strain of marijuana that her lawyers said came with a warning label she had not been privy to. Then she stabbed her dog and turned the knife on herself, surviving 43 self-inflicted wounds and multiple surgeries.

Advertisement

“The defense presented in court was not a ‘con job’ as some have described it,” her attorney Michael Goldstein told Fox News Digital. “The defense of ‘cannabis-induced psychosis’ was based primarily on the testimony of both renowned psychiatrist Dr. William Wirshing and prosecution expert Dr. Kris Mohandie.”

CALIFORNIA WOMAN WHO GOT HIGH AND STABBED BOYFRIEND 108 TIMES WILL NOT TO GO PRISON, JUDGE RULES

Bryn Spejcher was sentenced to 100 days of community service after stabbing Chad O’Melia 108 times in his LA apartment. (Ventura County District Attorney’s Office/Fox & Friends First)

Wirshing and Mohandie were among four experts whose work was cited in the trial. They both found that the explosive violence was “unpredictable” and “unforeseeable,” Goldstein said.

The specific strain contained a 31.8% THC level and a warning label that said, “Caution, for High Tolerance Users Only,” he added. According to the Yale School of Medicine, the average THC content in cannabis seized by the DEA was 4% in 1995 and had risen to 17% in 2017.

Advertisement

A search of SweetFlower.com, the website for a Los Angeles-based dispensary, found marijuana “flower” for sale legally with THC levels as high as 39%. Similar levels were available Friday from a local competitor, The Artist Tree.

Processed and concentrated products can contain up to 90% THC, Goldstein added.

“Nobody seems to want to address this issue,” he said.

Bryn Spejcher reacts as the jury finds her guilty of manslaughter on Dec. 1, 2023, for the 2018 cannabis-induced killing of Chad O’Melia. Jurors deliberated less than a day before returning their verdict in the afternoon. (Anthony Plascencia/The Star/USA Today Network)

NORWEGIAN CRUISE PASSENGERS BROUGHT BAGS OF WEED ON SHIP IN TRANSATLANTIC DRUG TRAFFICKING SCHEME: AUTHORITIES

Advertisement

Months before the fatal encounter, O’Melia’s roommate also had an “extreme reaction” after smoking out of the same bong, Goldstein said. He suffered hallucinations and fear of death.

Spejcher had only smoked pot less than a half-dozen times prior to the stabbing, her lawyers said, describing her as a “naive user.” She worked at the UCLA Medical Center as an audiologist and is hearing impaired herself.

When asked about the difference between Spejcher’s case and a fatal drunken driving crash, Goldstein said the killer’s awareness of what she was getting into is the defining factor.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Audry Nafziger addresses the jury during the manslaughter trial of Bryn Spejcher on Nov. 9, 2023. Spejcher, who was found guilty, was sentenced on Tuesday. (Juan Carlo/The Star/USA Today Network)

“As far as a DUI is concerned, that person knowingly and consciously drinks to excess and decides to get behind the wheel of a car,” he said. “In Ms. Spejcher’s case, she took a hit of what she believed to be a legal consumer product in the sanctity of Mr. O’Melia’s home as they sat on his couch with no plans to go drive home that evening.”

Advertisement

O’Melia provided the pot but not the warning on the label, he said. 

“Mr. O’Melia was a well-documented, experienced and chronic user of high potency cannabis,” he added, citing evidence introduced in the trial. “That came with a responsibility. With that information, Ms. Spejcher could have made an informed decision and this tragedy could have been avoided.”

O’Melia’s father, who organized a protest outside the courthouse before sentencing, told Fox News Friday that the system has “completely failed” his son and the family when Spejcher received a punishment of just two years of probation, 100 hours of community service and no prison time.

“The judge didn’t do his job,” he said. “He didn’t do what he was responsible to do.”

Sean O’Melia, right, chats with other protesters in a demonstration held the day before Tuesday’s sentencing of Bryn Spejcher. (Tom Kisken/The Star/USA Today Network)

Advertisement

CALIFORNIA MAN WHO PUMMELED, SHOT AT FEMALE DEPUTY FOUND NOT GUILTY DESPITE VIDEO OF ATTACK

“Our prayers are with the O’Melia family and cannot imagine the unspeakable loss they have suffered,” Goldstein said. “Ms. Spejcher never envisioned taking a hit of a legal substance, spiraling into a severe psychotic state and stabbing another human being and then herself.”

Marijuana is legal in California for prescribed medicinal users over 18 and recreational users above 21.

WATCH: Ruling for California woman involved in fatal stabbing is ‘just outrageous,’ says Ted Williams

 

A Ventura County jury found Spejcher guilty of involuntary manslaughter in December.

Advertisement

The court last week handed down a sentence of two years on probation and 100 hours of community service.

“Ms. Spejcher is broken and remorseful for what happened to Chad,” Goldstein said. “She will never again live a normal life and her medical license and ability to help other deaf people is at risk.”

Read the full article from Here

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Denver, CO

Colorado boasts two of the best coffee shops in the Americas, according to new ranking

Published

on

Colorado boasts two of the best coffee shops in the Americas, according to new ranking


Denverites looking for a stellar cup of Joe don’t need to travel far to savor the flavor of excellent coffee.

That’s according to The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops, a website that rates global hospitality establishments where coffee lovers can find better brew. The website recently announced its 2026 list of the best coffee shops in North America, Central America and the Caribbean and two local companies made the list.

Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters came in at No. 43, while Queen City Collective Coffee ranked No. 61. Not bad for a list that includes must-hit destinations in places like Guatemala and Costa Rica, which are known for their exports of coffee beans.

The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops decided the ranking through a mix of nominations and voting by both the public and experts. Places were evaluated based on the quality of coffee served, barista expertise, ambiance, sustainability practices, and innovation among other criteria, according to the website.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Seattle, WA

Delta flight from Seoul to Atlanta diverted to Seattle after report of suspicious package

Published

on

Delta flight from Seoul to Atlanta diverted to Seattle after report of suspicious package


Delta Air Lines Flight 188, traveling from Incheon International Airport in South Korea to Atlanta, was diverted to Seattle on Monday morning after a suspicious package was reported on board.

The flight, a regularly scheduled service between Seoul-Incheon and Atlanta, diverted to Seattle around 10: 30 a.m. It was originally supposed to land in Atlanta at 5 p.m.

Delta released a statement that the diversion was initiated after reports of a “suspicious package” onboard, with the flight crew making the decision out of an abundance of caution.

After landing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the plane was staged at Taxiway Tango on the airfield. Passengers were deplaned to buses while investigators assessed and swept the aircraft, and officials met the plane to conduct additional security screening.

Advertisement

Delta stated that no credible threat was discovered and no arrests were made. After the plane was cleared, passengers were reboarded and cleared to head to the gate and go through Customs.

Delta said it is supporting an investigation involving law enforcement, aviation regulators, and others.



Source link

Continue Reading

San Diego, CA

The Best Things to Do in San Diego: May 2026 | San Diego Magazine

Published

on

The Best Things to Do in San Diego: May 2026 | San Diego Magazine


When we think of May, we think of Mother’s Day, blooming flowers, sunny skies, and lots of fun, seasonal events in the city. This month, locals can dine on the creations of James Beard Award-Winning Chefs at Rancho Bernardo Inn, or take advantage of berry season at the annual Vista Strawberry Festival. Theatre lovers can enjoy a showing of Kim’s Convenience at The Old Globe, while the San Diego Natural History Museum invites art enthusiasts to view its latest marine-themed exhibit. Grab your tickets and crack open that planner. Here are all the best things to do in San Diego this month:

Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do

Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Month

29

Louisiana legend Juvenile, enhances by the live instrumentation of The 400 Degreez Band, will perform career hits and his newest album, Boiling Point, at House of Blues San Diego.

Advertisement
Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz

Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Month

5/5–6/1

Turning the spotlight on contemporary LGBTQ artists, the inaugural ArtSpectrum 2026 will showcase both the grand and intimate scale of contemporary painters, photographers, and mixed media artists at Village Arts Outreach in Balboa Park.

12–24

The only ordinary element of the San Diego International Fringe Festival is the constant thrill of the extraordinary. Discover a plethora of innovative performances at venues from Pacific Beach to Baja.

5/15–6/14

A Korean-Canadian family balances tradition and assimilation from their Toronto storefront in Ins Choi’s comforting satire Kim’s Convenience, making its local premier at The Old Globe.

5/22–2/2027

Ocean debris will receive a new beginning at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Using repurposed pollution, Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea depicts creatively sculpted marine life.

Courtesy of BRICK

More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Month

4/30–5/3

Enjoy fine dining at its finest from a lineup of gastronomic titans during 54 Hours with James Beard Award-Winning Chefs. Savor elegant meals, masterclasses, tastings, and more at Rancho Bernardo Inn.

2

Unlimited bites, regional craft beers, and animal observations are on the menu for San Diego Zoo Food, Wine & Brew (with live music), a culinary evening in support of the San Diego Wildlife Alliance.

Advertisement

7

Spend An Evening with David Sedaris, humorist, essayist, and best-selling author. Never afraid to point the pen at himself, Sedaris will share old favorites and works in progress in the classic satirical style he’s known for at Jacobs Music Center.

15–17

Say cheese! And toast to the Cheese & Libation Expo. Explore three days of all-you-can eat and drink fare at BRICK, along with boutique shopping and bountiful pairings.

PARTNER CONTENT

10 Years In, Puffer and Malarkey Are Just Getting Started

10 Years In, Puffer and Malarkey Are Just Getting Started

Elevating an Icon: Inside the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club’s $60 Million Renovation

Elevating an Icon: Inside the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Clu…

16

Stroll the private grounds of several luxurious homes, accompanied by live music, tabletop designs, and outdoor artistry, during the Secret Garden Tour, La Jolla Historical Society‘s flora and fauna fundraiser.

24

Vista recalls its days as a strawberry-producing superpower through its free Strawberry Festival. Wear your berry best fit, watch film screenings, and enter contests for shortcake, pie, and sundae indulging.





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending