She had smoked marijuana with him just once before. Within an hour, both her dog and the man she barely knew were dead, and she had turned the knife on herself.
The Incident
Bryn Spejcher, a California audiologist, was accused of fatally stabbing Chad O'Melia, 26, in his Thousand Oaks condo in the early hours of Memorial Day 2018, after the two had been dating for only a few weeks. She was initially charged with murder.
A Psychotic Episode
Prosecutors said Spejcher smoked marijuana from a bong before the attack and subsequently entered a severe psychotic state. A forensic psychologist retained by the prosecution determined she had been "acutely psychotic" during the incident, believing — according to the psychologist's findings — that she had died and could only bring herself back to life by killing O'Melia. During the episode, she also killed the couple's dog and inflicted severe self-harm before police, responding to the scene, were able to stop her.
A Reduced Charge
Based on the psychological evaluation, prosecutors requested the charge be reduced from murder to involuntary manslaughter, a decision the presiding judge granted. The shift drew strong criticism from O'Melia's family, who described it as blindsiding and questioned the motivations behind it.
The Legal Dispute
At trial, prosecutors argued that voluntarily using an intoxicant doesn't excuse the consequences of resulting behavior, comparing it to drunk driving. Spejcher's defense argued she had no prior history of mental illness and could not have anticipated that marijuana would trigger a psychotic break, and that she had been encouraged to use it that night by O'Melia himself. A pretrial motion from prosecutors seeking to limit certain defense arguments regarding involuntary intoxication was denied by the judge.
Where the Case Stood
Spejcher pleaded not guilty to all charges and remained free on bail throughout the proceedings, facing a maximum sentence of four years if convicted, with the possibility of additional time under special circumstance allegations tied to the severity of the crime.
FAQ
Why was the charge reduced from murder to manslaughter?
A forensic psychologist retained by the prosecution determined Spejcher was experiencing acute psychosis during the incident, which led prosecutors to request the lesser charge.
What triggered the psychotic episode, according to prosecutors?
They said it followed her use of marijuana, though the defense has raised questions about whether something else may have been involved.
What is the maximum sentence Spejcher faces?
Four years, with the possibility of additional time under special circumstance allegations if convicted.