Custodial dad TERRY STURGIS says his kidney medicine made him crazy, and that's why he killed his 10-year-old son. Bull cr**.
How and why did this piece of sh** get custody of all these kids again? Would some reporter in Indiana look into this for us? We already know that CPS missed all the red flags--again.
http://www.wsbt.com/wsbt-south-bend-father-accused-of-killing-10yearold-now-charged-with-abusing-his-other-children-20111201,0,5317348.story
Accused child killer to claim insanity defense
By MARY KATE MALONE South Bend Tribune
11:21 p.m. EST, December 1, 2011
SOUTH BEND — A local father accused of killing his 10-year-old son notified the court Thursday that he plans to use an insanity defense.
Meanwhile, prosecutors have added 11 additional charges against 35-year-old Terry Sturgis, alleging that he abused his two other children in addition to Tramelle Sturgis, who was found dead in the family’s home on West Washington Street Nov. 4.
Sturgis now faces one count of murder, nine counts of battery, two counts of neglect, and two counts of confinement.
As St. Joseph Superior Court Judge Jane Woodward Miller read the new charges to Sturgis in court on Thursday, he bowed his head but showed little emotion.
He is being held in the St. Joseph County Jail without bond.
His court-appointed public defender, Jeff Kimmell, notified the court he plans to argue that Sturgis was insane at the time of the alleged offenses.
The judge will now appoint two or three doctors to examine Sturgis’ mental state.
Deputy prosecutor Liz Hurley asked that she be allowed time to identify physi-cians who are familiar with the side effects of medications Sturgis was taking, if the defense planned to use medication side-effects to support the insanity argument.
Kimmell did not object, and said he also needed time to gather Sturgis’ medical records, some of which are in Gary.
The judge set Sturgis’ next hearing for 8 a.m., Dec. 20.
Some family members told local media that Sturgis suffers from kidney problems and took medication that made him hallucinate.
Afterward Kimmell said it’s a “possibility” that medication side effects could be used to support the contention that Sturgis was insane when he allegedly committed the offense.
Sturgis is now accused of battering Tramelle and his two brothers, using a hot clothing iron, a hot screw driver, a wooden club, or his hands.
The state also added two counts of neglect of a dependent over a three-year period from 2008 to 2011.
The Department of Child Services investigated an allegation of child abuse at the home last summer, but determined that the children were “well-nurtured” and safe and found no signs of abuse, according to Department documents.