As I listened to the diagnosis the doctor gave to Jacob Cayer, my thoughts turned to my own experience. I had a brother who was schizophrenic, diagnosed in his teens with a severe case. He passed away in 2002. The defense and the doctor argued that Jacob could not control his behavior to conform to the law. I thought of my brother’s core character. As sick as he was, he knew right from wrong. I don’t believe he would ever be so out of it that he would commit a crime like what Cayer did to Sabrina and Heesun.
I realize every case is different, and it’s possible that Cayer was so delusional that he had no control over his actions. As the prosecution said in their closing arguments, there’s no doubt Jacob is mentally ill. But I’m not convinced his condition rose to the level of insanity that rendered him not responsible for his crimes
That said, he was committed to a mental health facility. From what I understand, it’s a hard life in there. He’ll spend the rest of his years receiving the treatment his condition requires while paying for what he did.
Throughout the trial, it was clear the defense attorneys were trying to cast reasonable doubt by any means necessary, it's their job. They even tried to point the finger at Joel Kennedy, one of the victims in this case. I was disgusted by their treatment of Joel, but he handled it perfectly, in my opinion.
This got me thinking about the role of defense attorneys. The truth is, Cayer’s attorneys knew their client was guilty from the beginning. For instance, in his closing arguments, Cayer’s defense attorney, Anthony Cotton, who was also Morgan Geyser's attorney from the Slender Man case, openly acknowledged that Jacob committed the crime. Yet, as part of his obligation to provide the best possible defense, he argued for Cayer’s innocence. For me, that’s a hard pill to swallow, and it’s why I wouldn’t want to be a defense attorney. But they’re necessary. Everyone is entitled to a fair trial and an adequate defense.
This case will leave a lasting impression on me. The sheer brutality inflicted upon Heesun and Sabrina is hard to fathom.
