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Running Head: MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Case File on Paranoid Ideation

Antionette Horton

Westwood College

June 29, 2010

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Running Head: MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

In the case of Marcia Heald mental health issues are that she was suffering from

paranoid schizophrenia. Therefore she had delusion that her friend Thornton was Jesus and that

she herself was Eve, a missionary from God or Mother Mary. And her murder victim, Shelley

Smith was the temptress of Christ. As a result of her delusion she broke into Smith’s home,

attacked Smith with a knife while Smith was asleep in bed, and brutally murdered and attempted

to decapitate Smith. The mental health issues contribute to how she carried out her crime and

how the charges were brought against Mrs. Heald. At trial, Heald presented the defense of

“insanity at the time of the crime.” But the jury found her guilty of the charges that was brought

against her

A brief history of Marcia Heald was born on August 1, 1938 and raised in Indiana as a

Quaker. She received an English degree from Earlham College and attended graduate school at

Indiana University. She is now divorced and has two adult sons, ages thirty-five and thirty-seven.

During her incarceration, Heald was considered a good inmate. She only received a couple of

minor conduct reports and had not been violent or aggressive in the twenty years she had been at

the prison. While in prison, Heald worked in the print shop vocational program and actively

participated in other various programs, including the “Clown Ministry” and several church-

related activities. Heald also worked as a prison tutor, and her prison record contains several

letters of recognition for her prison-volunteer work. (findlaw.com)

Because of Heald mental state at the time of her release it was in question whether or not

she could live a normal life due to the fact that she wrote a letter ask for the misplacing of the hat

Running Head: MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

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of the Righteous One of Israel. In which only the anointed one may wear the hat. And if anyone

else put the hat on they were violates the command of YHWH, Most High God of the Universe.

Mrs. Heald felt that she need the hat back because it for her own protection. When the Boone

County Clerk of Court: received the letter they felt that she need a more effect psychiatric

evaluation. Therefore the superintendent of the Prison filed a Petition for Involuntary

Commitment of Heald. With this petition there was testimony from three different doctors, one

of the doctors was Dr. Payne is a licensed medical doctor and psychiatrist who has worked at the

Prison since 1997. Dr. Payne examined Heald once in 2001 and met with her several times

during a thirty-day period before the commitment hearing. Dr. Payne concluded that Heald is a

very nice, intelligent person, who is a grandmother figure to the inmates, but is severally

mentally ill. He testified that Heald was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, explaining that

she has a complex delusional system. Dr. Payne further testified that Heald believes that she is on

a religious quest from God, and that she did the right thing when she committed the murder

because she felt the woman was a snake that she needed to cut the head off. He believes she was

a danger to herself and others, especially under stress. Because of this type of metal health Dr.

Payne recommended that Heald receive inpatient treatment at a psychiatric facility and

psychiatric medication. (in.gov/judiciary/opinions/previous/archive.com)

In the case of Marcia Heald the criminal justice system would have to view this case if

the she real understand that her state of mind. The criminal justice system should get to the true

meaning why she was having these delusions and also have clear why to treat Mrs. Heald while

she are in this state of mind. One challenge that the criminal justice system would face is if that

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Running Head: MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

the individual real have mental health issues or is they just pretending to get off. Like in this case

they should look deeper to see why she felt that this person would cause harm to her. Also what

would be gain from killing this person? Next the system should do a complete study on why,

how this person started having these delusions.

My recommendation would be that when dealing with individual with some type of

mental health issues you first have to have a better understand of what you are dealing with. Next

there are step in which should be take to help the individual with Paranoid Ideation. The steps are

as following; getting a clear understanding of the most common paranoid symptoms, know what

Diagnostic Guidelines to take. Last what type of care and medications fix the need of the person.

Once you have followed these steps next there should be some type of training with in the

criminal justice system so that people within the system would you how to present the case to the

jury and they would have a better understand of what is going the case.

Next when there are an individual that states that they committed a crime because of paranoid

schizophrenia then they should be give a paranoid schizophrenia test to make sure that this person is not

just pretending to get off, which is giving in a Schizophrenia Early Diagnosis and Treatment Clinics.

There are several locations throughout the United States and other countries. The last thing to do is

to make sure that the individual have a understanding of their actions and know the importance of

getting help. The criminal justice systems have some place that is equip to help out with the housing

and drugs. (www.schizophrenia.com/szparanoid)

Running Head: MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

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There should be guild lines give to individual for their treatment and explain to

them. For example; the treatment teams for someone who committed a crime which is a

team that can help make sure that you're getting all of the treatment you need and that your

care is coordinated among all of your health care providers.

The team involved in treatment of paranoid schizophrenia may include you:

Family or primary care doctor

•

Psychiatrist

•

Psychotherapist

•

Pharmacist

•

Family members

•

Case worker

•

Psychiatric nurse

•

Social worker

•

The last thing is to have the right medications options and here is a list of them The main

treatments for paranoid schizophrenia are:, Medications, Psychotherapy, Hospitalization,

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), Vocational skills training. (MFMER).

Reference

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www.findlaw,com

©1998-2010 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER).

www.in.gov/judiciary/opinions/previous/archive.com

www.schizophrenia.com/szparanoid

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