INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Jurors in the Elliahs Dorsey murder trial on Tuesday heard testimony from three doctors about his mental state on the day that Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Officer Breann Leath was shot and killed.

Dorsey is accused of fatally shooting Leath while she and other officers responded to a domestic dispute just after 2:45 p.m. April 9, 2020, in the 1800 block of Edinburge Square. That’s in an apartment complex located southeast of the I-70 interchange with I-465.

The prosecution originally had sought the death penalty in the case, but that possibility is no longer an option after Dorsey underwent psychiatric evaluations.

Defense attorneys last week told the jury they intend to prove that Dorsey is innocent by reason of insanity.

Dr. Ruben Gur had analyzed brain scans of Dorsey. He testified that Dorsey has an abnormally small brain that is damaged. He could not officially diagnose him, but said Dorsey’s brain is consistent with someone who suffers from schizophrenia, traumatic brain injury, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

After Gur, the defense called Dr. Charles Golden to the stand. He’s a neuropsychologist who spent eight hours evaluating Dorsey. He testified that the brain damage identified by Gur played a roll in the death of Leath.

After those eight hours of evaluation, Golden diagnosed Dorsey with having a brief psychosis on the day of the shooting. He defined a brief psychosis as a mental state similar to schizophrenia, but only lasting a matter of weeks.

Golden also testified that the isolation Dorsey experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic after breaking up with his girlfriend likely pushed him over a cliff into a brief psychosis.

The prosecution asked Golden and Gur if Dorsey’s marijuana use caused the psychosis. Both testified that the underlying mental health issues were already there, but that the marijuana use could have been a trigger for the brief psychosis.

In the afternoon, the defense called Dr. George Parker to the stand. He also evaluated Dorsey after the shooting. He also diagnosed Dorsey as having a brief psychosis during the shooting, but testified that the marijuana use did not cause the psychotic episode.

Toward end the fifth day of Dorsey’s trial on Tuesday, the defense played over an hour of video of the suspect in an IMPD homicide interrogation room. In the room, Dorsey appeared to be agitated, speaking to himself, crying, and reiterating his claims that he felt like he was being set up and that someone was out to kill him.

The jury will finish watching the video Wednesday morning before live testimony resumes.

Previous coverage

• Accused man’s family testifies at his trial for murder of Indianapolis police officer
• Police testify at trial for suspect in murder of Officer Breann Leath
• Murder trial begins for man accused of killing IMPD officer Breann Leath

Mental health resources

• Be Well Indiana
• Indiana Suicide Prevention
• Indiana Department of Child Services’ Children’s Mental Health Initiative
• National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 or 800-273-8255
• More resources