Coast man who faked his own death plans defense in sex crimes case. Is he insane?
A Moss Point military vet who faked his death to allegedly avoid prosecution on sex crimes charges in Jackson County is planning an insanity defense at his criminal trial, according to court records filed in the case.
Jacob Blair Scott’s attorneys, Tangi Carter and Victor Carmody Jr., filed court papers notifying the court of their intent to use the insanity defense in papers filed in his criminal case in February.
The defense attorneys provided a list of various medical conditions they claim Scott suffers from that could support the insanity defense:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Severe depression
- Severe anxiety
- Prescription medication induced impaired mental processes;
- Reduced cognitive, emotional, and personality controls;
- Polypharmacy iatrogenic, a condition caused by the use of multiple drugs that could result in physical, mental or emotional problems.
- Memory deficits
- Cognitive decline
- Cognitive impairment
- Speech impairment
- Impulse control
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares
- Paranoia
- Neurocognitive dysfunction, or a condition defined as decreased mental function as a result of a medical disease other than a psychiatric illness
- Photophobia, a condition defined as eye discomfort or pain in bright light
- Dizziness
Scott, 45, had a hearing Wednesday before Judge Kathy King Jackson to consider several requests from District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath, Assistant District Attorney Justin Lovorn and defense attorneys.
Scott’s attorneys claim in court papers that a licensed psychologist, a pharmacologist and a toxicologist determined Scott’s medical problems and the medications he took to treat them over the years, including during the alleged crimes, caused him to suffer from ”clinical distress and impairment.”
As a result, the defense attorneys suggested Scott’s diminished capacity rendered him unable to fully understand that he was committing any crime at the time of the alleged offenses.
McIlrath countered, saying any suggestion of a defendant’s alleged diminished capacity is not a defense in criminal cases in Mississippi.
In addition, McIlrath said, prosecutors have been unable to question those who have evaluated Scott or have their own psychiatric evaluation performed on him because of various claims from Scott, including him being too sick to do so.
“This is simply an attempt by the Defendant to further manipulate the Court, further victimize the victim in this case and postpone the trial in this matter,” the prosecutors said. “Should the Court find that the Defendant should be seen by a gastroenterologist, the State would request that this be accomplished virtually rather than the Defendant being transported to a doctor’s office.”
When asking that Scott use telehealth to see a doctor, prosecutors pointed out Scott “has proven he is a flight risk, military trained, and there are items within a doctor’s office that could aid ...(Scott) in an escape.”
Judge Jackson called the prosecutors and defense attorneys into her chambers to set up a timeline for Scott to be evaluated by a doctor for his medical condition and to have a subsequent psychiatric evaluation.
Those dates were not announced in court.
In other action Wednesday, prosecutors argued that they should be allowed talk about how Scott had faked his death to avoid prosecution in the state’s criminal case.
The judge held off on making a ruling.
However, Scott’s trial, which was set to begin April 18, is now pushed back until the end of May despite prosecutors pushing for no further delays.
In addition to the state charges that could send Scott away for life, he faces federal charges for faking his death in Orange Beach, Alabama.
Scott fled Mississippi just ten days before he was set to enter guilty pleas in the sex crimes cases.
This story was originally published April 6, 2022 at 1:27 PM.
