LUCAS COUNTY, Ohio — Attorneys for the man accused of murdering his 13-year-old daughter have officially notified the court that they plan to argue he suffered from a serious mental illness at the time of the crime – a claim that, if successful, would bar the state from seeking the death penalty.
In a filing submitted Monday, defense attorneys for Darnell Jones said they intend to assert a “serious mental illness” (SMI) claim under Ohio Revised Code 2929.025, which allows capital defendants to avoid execution if they can prove they had a qualifying mental illness when the offense occurred. Such illnesses can include certain forms of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, delusional disorders and other severe psychiatric conditions recognized in the statute.
The notice does not change Jones’ plea, and it is not an insanity defense. Instead, it challenges whether the death penalty can be imposed if Jones is convicted of aggravated murder and related specifications. A judge would ultimately decide whether Jones meets the SMI criteria after reviewing evaluations and evidence provided by mental-health experts…