Starr Scaife of Marvell has been acquitted of capital murder charges in connection with the 2004 murder of her mother, Ritchie Scaife, because of mental disease.
Court documents were ordered sealed in the case but following an injunction filed by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, a judge ordered the files opened. The documents revealed that Scaife was under observation at the state mental hospital.
Several physiological tests were performed on Scaife with varying opinions attached to the case files.
On June 25, the Phillips County Circuit Court found that the defendant “lacked the capacity, as a result of mental disease, to conform her conduct to the requirements of the law.” The court committed Scaife to the care of the director of the department of Health and Human Services for further treatment and acquitted Scaife of all charges.
The Helena Daily World has the story.
