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This reminds me of Andrea Yates. What I don't understand about this case is why the mom didn't take her meds or see a doc if she had been diagnosed with postpartum depression after her daughter was born. If you carry a child for nine months, how can you turn around and kill it?? 
Mistrial Declared in Texas Murder Trial
By JULIA GLICK, Associated Press Writer
Sun Feb 26, 4:16 AM ET
Jurors deadlocked, forcing a mistrial, in the murder trial of a mother accused of cutting off her infant daughter's arms, then listening to a hymn while her daughter bled in a crib.
Ten jurors believed Dena Schlosser was not guilty by reason of insanity, while one believed she was guilty and another could not decide, said juror Steve Penn.
Defense Attorney David Haynes said the case likely will be tried again, although prosecutors would not say whether they planned to return to court.
Police found baby Margaret, known as Maggie, dying in her crib in November 2004, and Schlosser covered in blood, holding a knife and listening to a church hymn. The trial centered on whether Schlosser, 37, knew right from wrong during the killing, a legal criterion of the insanity defense in Texas.
The prosecution, which showed grisly photos of the dead baby, emphasized witness observations of Schlosser as a healthy, seemingly sane mother and said she showed remorse when she told her husband in a monotone voice that she had "hurt the baby."
But psychiatrists testifying for the defense told jurors of Schlosser's multiple psychotic episodes. One doctor said Schlosser told him she felt commanded by God to cut off Maggie's arms, followed by her own limbs and head. Schlosser had a deep cut on her shoulder when police found her.
The jury also heard testimony from a police officer who said Schlosser screamed, prayed, growled, thanked God and begged for forgiveness in a hospital the day her daughter died.
"Everything I've seen indicates to me that she did not know what she was doing was wrong and she did not know right from wrong," said Dr. William Reid, who said people close to Schlosser had missed obvious signs of severe mental illness.
Schlosser was diagnosed with postpartum psychosis after Maggie's birth. She didn't take medication or see a doctor in the four months before the killing.
Her husband, John Schlosser, said he wasn't alarmed when his wife said after church the day before the killing that she wanted to "give the baby to God." He has since has filed for divorce and has custody of their other two children.
After her arrest, Schlosser was diagnosed with manic depression and declared mentally incompetent to stand trial. A judge found she was competent in May after she received treatment.
The jury said on the second day of deliberations that it was deadlocked, but the judge ordered them to continue. Jurors requested numerous rereadings of testimony, with one juror even asking Judge Chris Oldner to define the term "deliberation" and the precise role of a juror.
"There was heated discussion, and tempers flared in the jury room," Penn said.
Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
Copyright © 2006 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.
Mistrial Declared in Texas Murder Trial
By JULIA GLICK, Associated Press Writer
Sun Feb 26, 4:16 AM ET
Jurors deadlocked, forcing a mistrial, in the murder trial of a mother accused of cutting off her infant daughter's arms, then listening to a hymn while her daughter bled in a crib.
Ten jurors believed Dena Schlosser was not guilty by reason of insanity, while one believed she was guilty and another could not decide, said juror Steve Penn.
Defense Attorney David Haynes said the case likely will be tried again, although prosecutors would not say whether they planned to return to court.
Police found baby Margaret, known as Maggie, dying in her crib in November 2004, and Schlosser covered in blood, holding a knife and listening to a church hymn. The trial centered on whether Schlosser, 37, knew right from wrong during the killing, a legal criterion of the insanity defense in Texas.
The prosecution, which showed grisly photos of the dead baby, emphasized witness observations of Schlosser as a healthy, seemingly sane mother and said she showed remorse when she told her husband in a monotone voice that she had "hurt the baby."
But psychiatrists testifying for the defense told jurors of Schlosser's multiple psychotic episodes. One doctor said Schlosser told him she felt commanded by God to cut off Maggie's arms, followed by her own limbs and head. Schlosser had a deep cut on her shoulder when police found her.
The jury also heard testimony from a police officer who said Schlosser screamed, prayed, growled, thanked God and begged for forgiveness in a hospital the day her daughter died.
"Everything I've seen indicates to me that she did not know what she was doing was wrong and she did not know right from wrong," said Dr. William Reid, who said people close to Schlosser had missed obvious signs of severe mental illness.
Schlosser was diagnosed with postpartum psychosis after Maggie's birth. She didn't take medication or see a doctor in the four months before the killing.
Her husband, John Schlosser, said he wasn't alarmed when his wife said after church the day before the killing that she wanted to "give the baby to God." He has since has filed for divorce and has custody of their other two children.
After her arrest, Schlosser was diagnosed with manic depression and declared mentally incompetent to stand trial. A judge found she was competent in May after she received treatment.
The jury said on the second day of deliberations that it was deadlocked, but the judge ordered them to continue. Jurors requested numerous rereadings of testimony, with one juror even asking Judge Chris Oldner to define the term "deliberation" and the precise role of a juror.
"There was heated discussion, and tempers flared in the jury room," Penn said.
Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
Copyright © 2006 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.
