Lisa Snyder, the woman from Berks County, Pennsylvania, accused of murdering her two young children, declined to testify in her trial on Monday (September 23). Snyder is charged with first-degree murder after her eight-year-old and four-year-old children were found hanging in the basement of their home in 2019. The case is being decided by a judge in a bench trial, rather than a jury.
The mental health of Snyder was a significant focus during the sixth day of the trial. Both defense and prosecution experts attempted to convince Berks County President Judge M. Theresa Johnson of Snyder's mental state on the day of the alleged crime. The defense is pursuing an insanity defense, arguing that Snyder was legally insane at the time, suffering a psychotic break and unable to understand that her actions were wrong.
Dr. Dung Tran, a physician and psychiatrist called by the defense, testified that Snyder has a long history of mental health issues, including bipolar disorder with psychotic features, borderline personality disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. He believes that Snyder's problems were triggered leading up to the deaths of her children, pushing her into a psychotic state.
However, the prosecution's expert, psychologist and forensic psychologist Dr. John O’Brien, disagreed with Tran's diagnoses. He stated that Snyder has long suffered from anxiety and depression but not bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, or borderline personality disorder. He also found no evidence that Snyder had a psychotic break at the time her children were hanged.
The trial will continue on Tuesday (September 24). The Reporter Online and Yahoo News provided the details of the trial.