INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Family members of Elliahs Dorsey on Thursday testified in his defense during his trial for the murder of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Officer Breann Leath in 2020.

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.

Dorsey’s dad, Larry Dorsey Sr., and brothers Larry Dorsey Jr. and D’onta Dorsey testified. Dorsey’s defense team spent a lot of time asking questions about Dorsey’s football playing career from childhood to the first two years of college. His family testified that Dorsey was a hard-hitting middle linebacker.

No evidence was presented to show Dorsey was ever medically diagnosed with a concussion during his playing days, yet the defense team appeared to be trying to link his playing days with his mental health leading up to the shooting.

Dorsey’s dad said, “I noticed he wasn’t the same. He had blind stares. Twisting his hair. Just things out of the norm.”

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

After the defense and prosecution asked Dorsey Sr. questions on Thursday, the jury had a question of its own.

Judge Mark Stoner read the question: “The behaviors you talk about didn’t concern you enough to take his guns?”

“Not at that time,” Dorsey Sr. said.

Dorsey’s ex-girlfriend Bianca Davis took the stand in Thursday afternoon and testified about his declining mental health in the buildup to the shooting. The two had dated for around seven years. She described Dorsey as being a loving, funning, and amazing boyfriend.

She broke up with Dorsey in fall 2019. Davis testified that she had started to see a change in Dorsey.

The night before Leath was fatally shot, Davis sent a text message to the Dorsey family warning them. That text message read, in part, “He doesn’t look like himself. He’s losing it. He’s also constantly texting me all day with crazy messages. At this point I’m deeply concerned about his mental health. He is not stable!”

The trial will resume Tuesday. The defense said they intend to call a total of five doctors to the stand.

Previous coverage

• 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