Psychosis

Psychologist Robert Berland took the stand again, this time to describe, in detail, John Couey's alleged psychosis.

(Pool photo: Couey continues to etch drawings in the courtroom. Click on photo to enlarge.)

Personality tests, one conducted over ten years ago and the other given to Couey after Jessica Lunsford's death, showed the defendant trying to conceal his mental illness, Berland said. But results indicated he was chronically psychologically disturbed, or had "gotten used to being crazy," as Berland described it.

Despite his attempts to hide his mental illness, Couey did admit some hallucinations to Berland. He told the psychologist he heard voices and thought that an evil spirit had been giving him instructions since he was in his early teens.

Berland classified his psychological disturbance as mild to moderate. He's not standing on the street corner, "with long scraggly hair, talking to the sky." He can put gas in a car, pay the rent.

But that doesn't mean Couey doesn't hear noises that aren't there, or think that people are plotting against him, Berland said. Relatives reported that, from a young age, they saw Couey mumbling to himself.

Berland said that Couey also suffered from manic episodes, during which he would sometimes go days only sleeping a couple hours a night. He told the psychologist these had worsened in the months leading up to Jessica's disappearance.

-- Elena Lesley