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Teen claims PTSD in attempted murder trial

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    Legal panel weighs in on case

  • Duration 5:02
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-- -- Right now a teenager in Florida is claiming insanity as he goes on trial today for attempted murder.

Here's a look at him Wayne Tracy he's accused of a brutal beating that left a girl with permanent brain damage.

The defense says he was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder because of his brother's recent suicide.

These disturbing images show the extent of the images of the injuries inflicted on fifteen year old -- Lou -- -- Tracy is accused of stomping on her head with steel toed boots.

These pictures were taken in and I see you shortly after the beating in march of 2010.

Now in a recorded jailhouse call with his mother a little later that year.

Tracy asked about -- these conditions.

And her relatives.

And had a lot better -- -- this silly silly debilitated his wrongful turn there.

She suffered irreversible brain -- We're told.

So let's talk about this case and specifically the -- the defense -- Jenkins is a former prosecutor.

Rachel self is a criminal defense attorney.

Rachel would you offer an insanity defense in a case like this.

Yes I will lead posttraumatic stress disorder is a very viable defense in this case.

It's a very serious thing that brings grown soldiers to their -- let alone a fifteen year old boy.

Who just saw his brother who he was very close sweat.

Who basically raised him -- brother hanging in a church parking lot his dead body.

And he never treated for destiny and and now they're saying that he was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and I think it's a very viable the fast.

Faith but there are indications that he planned this thing out.

He was apparently upset with this girl because she wouldn't give him a phone number that he wanted.

And so you know they -- text back and forth pretty soon she says she write something game like go join your brother well he got mad at.

Put on on -- -- outfit bicycle to the bus stop where he.

Wore those steel toed boots.

And stop to this port Jozy rapidly almost to the point of killing her and that -- -- there there seems to be a whole lot of premeditation here.

It isn't.

Doesn't it require it in order to win an insanity defense that you didn't know what you're doing.

Well it's it's shooting start and here's their racial makes a good point there could very well be a mental ill -- issue here.

But -- steady defense in this case in -- wolf -- for the reason it most insanity defenses.

Failing cases it's because you have to be able to shell is an affirmative defense.

If it has to be able to claim he did not know what he was doing at the time he gave it whether it was right.

Or wrong any case where he -- text messages before he went and beat these young lady told his brains.

I'm going to jail for murder.

That tells you need -- not only did he know he was doing was wrong but -- knew that he could be punished for it well let's take a listen to.

Another one of the the jail phone jail recorded telephone calls.

And I want to get your thoughts on the other side of.

I don't know what what felt like it would make it.

And I don't like -- think it's -- executive power -- -- like it's been like that.

Like that -- in recent killings it's I didn't want to work.

It was reported.

That Carolina help you know.

You know if you ask that we really do think that you wouldn't do you know what do they go wherever.

It feels that this.

We will move forward you know.

So -- he starts that one out saying I wasn't myself that day I suppose that could help in this is insanity defense.

But then he goes on to say that's not really gonna help me out he's being a real narcissistic about it.

I can't imagine that's gonna play well with the jury.

No I don't think any of these facts are going to play well if the jury but -- -- going to take is one juror who looks at -- sees this that this boy was fifteen years old at the time of this.

I'm very surprised he's being tried as an adult and if anything if he does wind up being convicted here.

This defense could be a mitigating factor in sentencing and I'd be very surprised -- actually serves the full fifty years that he could be sentenced him yet nobody is as saying that he necessarily deserves fifty years but a lot of his statements faithful were pretty incriminating in those phone calls.

And the fact that he you know is not necessarily showing a lot of sympathy for the victim.

I mean teenagers getting all kinds of texting war is that they don't write you know resulting in a fifteen year old kids -- the head of a young girl.

Exactly you know a lot of people after they commit crimes are remorseful that doesn't mean that you should not be punished -- you are held accountable Mary -- in -- I understand that.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- About his brother was very insulting was below the belt it was -- appropriate but Mary -- -- they justify the amount of violence that he inflicted upon her.

-- Jenkins and -- self thanks for being with us.