A dysfunctional past

Young John Couey suffered from neglect and exposure to inappropriate sexuality, psychologist Robert Berland testified.

Relatives told him that Couey's mother was intellectually limited, "childlike," and that she had to be given simple instructions in parenting. Rather than supporting her newborn's head, she would let it flop around until corrected. She also insisted on feeding Couey sugar water instead of milk because "he liked sugar water," Berland reported her telling relatives.

When Couey was around six, family members discovered blood in his underwear. Apparently he had not been circumcised and had developed an infection.

Though Berland said it was hard to get relatives to open up about inappropriate sexual matters, several did tell him that Couey had been molested. The psychologist also heard that a family member used to take Couey and his sister into the woods for a walk.

He would send Couey away and then have sex with his sister.

Couey said he always felt guilty about "not being able to protect her."

-- Elena Lesley