Murder Trial Live Blog: Defense Questions Why State's Psychiatrist Didn't Administer Objective Tests

Editor's Note: Wayland Patch will post regular updates from the courtroom at Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn. The most recent updates will be at the top of the story with a time stamp. For more about this case and trial, see "Wayland Murder: Nathaniel Fujita Trial."

1:11 p.m. -- We resumed at 11:28 a.m. with McGovern questioning Fife.

Turning her attention to the autopsy photos, McGovern asked what significance Fife found, if any, in those photos.

"My assessment of those wounds was that they were of a sadistic nature," Fife said. "Sadistic is when one intentionally inflicts harm over and above in a way that is intended to produce suffering."

Fife also said she listened to recorded conversations involving Fujita, but before she could elaborate Defense Attorney William Sullivan requested a sidebar conference with the judge.

Following the sidebar conference, McGovern asked whether the defendant was "reflective and able to think and speak with analytical capacity," in those conversations.

Fife said that Fujita was all of those things and able to show "appropriate reactions to emotional issues."

Turning to the booking video, McGovern asked if there was significance in that video.

"The relevant things that I observed was that Mr. Fujita was calm," Fife said. "He appeared to be compliant with requests that were made of him. There was nothing to suggest his behavior was disorganized. He followed directions appropriately."

Before she could continue, Sullivan objected and requested another sidebar conference.

After the sidebar, Fife testified that the video was purely visual and without audio.

Addressing the posturing that Myers testified to in his testimony, saying it was a symptom of psychosis, Fife explained that posturing means "holding the body in an unusual and uncomfortable position for an extended period of time." She added that she didn't see any posturing in the video.

Fife said her interviews with Fujita revealed to her that the defendant acted "purposefully and intentionally."

She then explained schizophrenia to be a severe illness that has a "downward drift," meaning that even with medication, the medical community has not been able to return a person to the baseline before they were ill.

Fujita is not schizophrenic nor has he ever been, Fife testified.

Fife then said that a parent with schizophrenia runs the 10 percent risk of passing that illness on to their children. The uncle of an uncle does not present a risk.

Fife then said that Fujita was not exhibiting any symptoms of prodromal schizophrenia.

"If it had been prodromal, he would have developed schizophrenia in the ensuing years since then," Fife said.

Fife said she disagreed with Myers' diagnosis of "brief psychotic disorder," because she saw no evidence of that. She also said that Fujita was not suffering from CTE.

"He has no history of concussions and he has no behavior associated with that brain disease," Fife said.

Sullivan began his cross-examination at 11:43 a.m.

Sullivan asked whether Fife sought out an interview with the defendant's mother, Beth Fujita.

Fife said that was true and agreed that Beth Fujita cooperated with that.

Sullivan asked whether Beth Fujita told her that her daughter remained "smiley" even in the depths of depression, and Fife said that was true.

He then asked Fife how many cases she currently has pending with the Middlesex District Attorney's Office.

Fife "took issue" with Sullivan's assessment that she had "worked for" various DA's offices in the past year. She said that she conducts independent assessments.

Sullivan asked Fife what her hourly rate was to work this case, and she responded it was $400 each hour and that she had billed 40-50 hours to the office on the Fujita case.

Sullivan then asked Fife to reiterate whether she had previously, but was not currently, certified in forensic psychiatry, to which she agreed.

"Not everybody who calls themselves a forensic psychiatrist is board-certified," Sullivan asked.

Fife said that was true. She then explained that her forensic psychiatry board certification lapsed in 2004.

"The board certification really kind of establishes that whomever is certified has read the literature ... kept up with the work," Sullivan asked.

Fife said she believed a psychiatrist who understands the law and has kept up with the field could make an informed assessment.

Sullivan asked whether Fife had written any articles about adolescents, to which Fife responded that she had not.

"It's fair to say that the adolescent brain is developing through the late teens and early 20s," Fife said. "It's also fair to say that there are some adults who have failed to develop in a psychological way."

Sullivan continued to question Fife's credentials and asked whether she held any leadership positions on any psychiatric boards or editorial boards.

She said that she had served on editorial boards in the past, but wasn't currently.

Sullivan then moved on to Fife's interviews with Fujita.

"Is it fair to say, it's important to see an individual as close to the event as possible," Sullivan asked.

"Yes," Fife said.

Sullivan pointed out that Fife didn't meet with Fujita until 16 months after the murder.

"By the time you meet with Mr. Fujita he had then been on antidepressants for 16 months," Sullivan asked.

Fife responded that Fujita told her he'd been on medication since mid-2012, and she agreed that she did not speak with Fujita until after he'd started on antidepressants.

Sullivan asked whether Fife saw any disciplinary issues in his school records, and Fife responded that she didn't find "anything major."

Sullivan asked if they also talked about Fujita's athletic pursuits and whether he'd excelled at sports, particularly football.

"To the best of your recollection, he told you he played as a freshman," Sullivan asked.

"Yes," Fife said.

Sullivan asked whether she talked with Fujita about his football injuries.

"When you asked him, he described that he had head trauma on approximately a weekly basis?" Sullivan asked.

"He said that, yeah," Fife said. She continued to agree that Fujita told her his vision would go blank and he would see flashes of white.

"That, in your experience, is consistent with some type of head trauma, is that right?" Sullivan asked.

"It's head trauma, yes," Fife said.

Sullivan asked whether Fife observed that Fujita's parents "seemed to be involved" parents, to which she agreed.

"It'd be fair to say that in fall 2010, didn't they take him for a neurological evaluation?" Sullivan asked.

"Yes," Fife said, explaining that he was evaluated and a language-based learning disorder was found.

Fife explained that a language-based learning disorder describes an individual who has trouble processing receptive language and then responding.

Sullivan next asked about Fife's investigation of Fujita's social relationships, and Fife agreed that Fujita told her they changed significantly in his senior year.

Fife then agreed that Fujita had described some mental health issues in his family's history.

"There was a significant amount of mental illness in this family, is that fair to say?" Sullivan said, and Fife agreed.

Sullivan asked about Fujita's demeanor when Fife met with him.

"His affect was constricted, somewhat flat," Fife said. She agreed with Sullivan that those characteristics can be consistent with someone suffering from depression.

Fife agreed that she knew Fujita had a history of seeing mental health experts, including a visit to a psychologist in April 2009.

"He didn't want to go, he wanted no part of being treated?" Sullivan asked.

"Yes," Fife said.

Sullivan continued to ask about Fujita's various appointments with mental health experts, including another in October 2009 following an evaluation during his hospitalization for a pulmonary contusion, in November 2010 and on June 15, 2011.

Sullivan asked Fife whether Dr. O'Ghar's assessment of Fujita on June 15, 2011, was significantly different than it was when O'Ghar saw Fujita in November 2010.

"For the first time, he opens up somewhat to a doctor?" Sullivan asked. "Out of 10, I'm a one," Sullivan asked, referencing Fujita's own description of his mood during the June 15 meeting with O'Ghar.

"Yes," Fife said, agreeing that O'Ghar's June report showed changes from seven months before.

Fife agreed that several of the notes made in O'Ghar's June report indicated symptoms that could be consistent with depression.

"There was a recommendation that there be follow-up treatment and medication, and the defendant refused," Sullivan said.

"He did," Fife agreed.

The day after Fujita saw O'Ghar on June 15, and was diagnosed with a major depressive disorder, Fujita saw an orthopedic doctor who noted that his mood and affect was normal.

Fife said she disagreed with O'Ghar's diagnosis.

The next line of questioning addressed whether Fife had talked with Fujita about substance abuse.

"Marijuana is one of the substances that is used often in self-medicating," Sullivan asked.

"Yes," Fife said.

"Did you notice some evidence in your evaluation ... that suggests he was self-medicating?" Sullivan asked.

"He reported to me that he was smoking marijuana," Fife said. "He had been smoking marijuana throughout the whole year."

Sullivan continued to ask whether it was important to Fife how much marijuana Fujita was smoking.

"I think that Mr. Fujita's reports ... I don't always find credible," Fife said.

Sullivan asked whether it was in Fife's report that Fujita said he was using drugs multiple times a day while he was in school.

Fujita also told Fife that he took his sister's pills, not knowing what they were, after his breakup with Astley in order to help him sleep. She said Fujita said he took them four or five times.

Regarding Fujita's breakup with Astley, Fife said that Fujita said he smoked marijuana, Astley became upset with him about that and they broke up.

Fife said Fujita told her that by the time he and Astley broke up a final time in late April, he felt his friends slipping away as well.

"That's not uncommon when someone has mental illness, they drive friends and acquaintances away because of their behavior?" Sullivan asked.

Fife agree that can happen. She said that Fujita told her he might have been acting differently, which would explain why his friends were moving away from him.

Fujita told Fife, she testified, that his depression got worse after the graduation party at the Blahut home on June 4.

"His depression just grew and grew between that day and when he went to see Dr. O'Ghar?" Sullivan asked.

"Yes," Fife replied.

Sullivan next asked whether Beth Fujita told Fife she became more concerned about her son's behavior in early to mid-June. Before Fife could respond, McGovern requested a sidebar conference.

Following the sidebar conference, Sullivan asked whether Fife knew that Beth Fujita went and spoke with Astley at her place of employment.

Fife said she did review the text and phone records between Astley and Fujita, and she saw that Astley initiated that communication.

Fujita didn't know his mother had gone to visit Astley, Fife said he told her.

Sullivan asked what Fujita was doing in June 2011, and Fife replied that she knew he went to the gym, babysat for two little boys and saw his friends June 11, 12 and a week later when they went fishing.

Sullivan asked whether there was a study last year that addressed the possible link between heavy marijuana use and psychosis.

Fife replied that she wasn't aware of that specific report, but that it was a question that had been addressed since the 1960s.

Sullivan asked Fife about what she recorded in her report, specifically about whether she puts everything in her report.

"In this case here, you didn't record the interview that you had with Mr. Fujita, either audio or video?" Sullivan asked. "So we have no way to check what was left out of your report or put in your report?"

"I have my interview notes," Fife said. "They're as verbatim as I'm able to do them. It's as much as I can get down as quickly as I can while he's talking."

Sullivan then asked whether Fife knew that the defendant wanted her interview with him recorded, to which she responded that she did.

Sullivan pointed out that in November, the defense made the request to have the interviews recorded and asked whether Fife made the decision to not do that.

She responded chose not to record them.

Sullivan asked Fife next about her assessment that Fujita was malingering.

"You're aware that there are a number of tests that can be given to detect or suggest malingering," Sullivan asked.

"Yes," Fife said.

Sullivan asked whether Fife gave Fujita any of those tests.

"I didn't give the test because I didn't think the test was relevant to the type of malingering I thought he was doing," Fife responded.

She continued to say that she didn't think another test Sullivan suggested -- one to detect feigned memory impairment -- was appropriate or helpful to this situation.

Sullivan then suggested another test, MMPI, which examines lying or feigned memory impairment.

"It's very useful in certain types of cases, I did not think it was helpful in this case," Fife said. "It's not that it's not good enough, it's good for certain situations."

"Did you do any objective testing of the defendant?" Sullivan asked.

"No," Fife replied.

"So there's not one objective result that we can look at that would confirm what you're saying about the defendant malingering or not being truthful?" Sullivan said.

Fife replied that she believed her assessment was objective.

"I think that you can rely that I'm being truthful," Fife said.

Sullivan asked about Fife's assessment that Fujita has some narcissistic traits, and whether there are any tests that objectively look into that.

Fife replied that there are, but that she didn't feel like they were relevant in this case.

Going back to the MMPI test, Sullivan asked whether it would have revealed several personality traits and malingering.

Fife agreed that it looked at several traits as well whether that person was exaggerating symptoms, but not specifically malingering.

Sullivan, however, showed Fife a transcript from her testimony in a past case during which she said that the MMPI tested malingering.

After viewing the testimony, Fife agreed that she said in the past the MMPI tested malingering.

"Based on my evaluation and my interviews with Mr. Fujita, I didn't think I needed to do an MMPI," Fife explained, when Sullivan pressed on her not giving the test.

Fife said that she felt she had "an understanding" of Fujita and would have done the testing if she'd thought it would have proved helpful in understanding him.

We are ending for the day at 1:09 p.m. Closing arguments and turning the case over to the jurors are expected tomorrow. We will not begin in court until 9:45 a.m.

11:16 a.m. -- The defense rested its case, and the Commonwealth called Dr. Alison Fife as its rebuttal witness.

Fife is a board-certified psychiatrist and has carried certification in forensic psychiatry. She works at Tufts and specifically at one of the two state mental hospitals.

She has also conducted about 300-400 assessments in criminal cases, both for the state and the defense. Fife said that she has had about 13 cases in which "my opinion has been that the person had mental illness at the time of the crime such that they lacked the substantial capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of their actions ..." or the ability to conform their behavior to the requirements of the law.

Judge Lauriat stopped testimony at that point to instruct jurors as he did before Myers testified. Essentially, jurors are not to take Fife's statements as evidence unless they have learned the information through another source of evidence.

Fife's testimony is purely to be understood as her opinion of the situation, Lauriat said.

"I look for the mental status at the time of the crime," Fife said. "I look at the entirety of the individual's history ... all aspects of the individual's history leading up to and including the allegations."

She continued to say she also looks at the behaviors in and around the time of the crime, using a specific clinical standard, the McHoul Standard.

"That standard requires that I look at first whether or not there was a mental illness, disease or defect at the time of the crime," Fife explained. "If there was, then I go on to look at whether or not that mental disease, illness or defect caused the individual to either substantially lack the capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of his/her actions or substantially lack the ability to conform his/her actions to the law."

Fife described what she meant by mental defect, disease or illness. She then explained that personality disorders describe individuals who are "maladapted."

She said a person who reaches the level of personality disorder is someone who cannot adjust their behavior in spite of being told what would be more appropriate.

Fife agreed that a lack of empathy can be considered a personality disorder.

Some mental defects or disorders can be brought on by other medical issues, Fife said.

Fife then explained that an adjustment disorder is "what we think of as a low-level psychiatric problem."

"They're an adjustment to something that has happened in someone's life," Fife explained. "It's very, very common."

She testified next that conditions that "affect a person's ability to reality test, think clearly, negotiate in the world in a way that is obvious to others," are those that can cause a lack of ability to conform one's actions.

Psychosis, bi-polar disorder with mania are examples, she said.

"People have grossly disorganized speech ... within a few minutes, you kind of say to yourself, 'Is it me or are they not making sense?'" she said. "The brain is not able to form sequential thoughts. Out of that disorganization of thinking, sometimes, not always, comes maladapted behaviors.

"The ability to appreciate wrongfulness is a lower threshold," Fife continued, in response to McGovern's question. "It takes a lot for a person to not appreciate that what they're doing is wrong. To lose that capacity is a much, much more disturbed person. It is far from a subtle finding."

Fife continued to explain that people can have mental illness, but not reach the threshold she described above.

When she examines someone, Fife said she asks very detailed and careful questions, "often repetitively," since different information comes out at different times as a person becomes more comfortable.

"I'm looking at whether or not the illness, if there is an illness present, then what if any parts of that illness drove all the different component parts of what followed from there," Fife said. "Impulsiveness is a part of the full range of human behavior ... Most people have the capacity to be impulsive, but inhibit that impulsiveness when we need to. There's a difference between impulses that are resisted and impulses that are irresistible, if you will."

Turning her attention to depression, Fife said that depression falls on a spectrum ranging from mild to moderate to severe.

"It's a very common thing for people to say," Fife said, explaining that it has become a term people say even when it wouldn't necessarily be diagnosable as clinical depression.

Fife said that mild depression can be brought on by an event, but severe depression can bring on suicidal thoughts or even self-directed feelings of evil or "rotting."

"Brief psychotic episodes," Fife said, involve the person having a variety of severe symptoms, including disorganized speech and thinking, from which disorganized action occurs.

"Those disorders are extremely rare," Fife said. "They last at minimal a day ... and they last upwards of a couple of weeks and require treatment with anti-psychotic medicine to get better."

The disorganized speech symptom of a brief psychotic episode is something that, "You know it when you see it," Fife said. "Their brain is really jumbled, if you will, and they need help and containment."

"It draws attention," Fife testified. "It's not subtle."

Fife said that a dissociative state is not a symptom of a brief psychotic episode.

"It's a reaction," Fife said of a dissociative state. "It's a feeling state of being disconnected from what's happening."

Turning now to Fife's evaluation of Fujita, McGovern asked for the witness' opinion as to whether he had the substantial capacity to conform his conduct, appreciate wrongfulness and form the intent to commit murder on July 3, 2011.

"My opinion is that he had the substantial capacity to conform his behavior," Fife said. "My opinion is that Mr. Fujita had the substantial capacity to appreciate wrongfulness.

"He had the capacity to form the intent to murder on that day," Fife continued.

Fife said she reviewed a wide variety of reports and records as well as viewed photographs and the booking video of Fujita.

"I did not find any signs of a mental defect," Fife said. "My findings were that Mr. Fujita had a history of some school difficulties that were mild ... despite that, he did well in school until his senior year [when] he seemed to slack off."

Fife went on to say she didn't find a history of psychiatric therapy or medication.

Fife met with Fujita four times: Twice in December 2012 and twice in January 2013.

She also met with Astley's parents, Malcolm Astley and Mary Dunne, as well as Beth Fujita, the defendant's mother.

"My assessment of Mr. Fujita's mental status at the time of the crime was that he was angry, enraged, acting out in a very brutal way and acting in a purposeful, well thought out, goal-directed and thorough way," Fife said.

Fife said she considered whether Fujita was depressed at the time of the crime.

"I looked at that very seriously and very carefully," Fife said. She continued to add that she also considered that this crime occurred within weeks of graduation, the graduation party during which the tent pole incident occurred and that he'd had some anger over the breakup with Astley.

"I could not come up with a diagnosis of a major depressive episode at that time," Fife said. "I think he had more of a wounded mood and that's different than depression. I think he was psychologically wounded by the breakup.

"I think that Mr. Fujita has some personality traits that are along the narcissistic spectrum," Fife said. "That means someone who's a bit on the egotistical side. Someone who can feel deserving of things and an ownership of things that they really don't have."

Fife said that she believed Fujita "was exaggerating" to her his depressive state and even said he was saying he had suicidal thoughts to conform to that diagnosis. 

"I think he was exaggerating how depressed he was. The medical term is malingering -- it's the same as exaggeration," Fife said.

Fujita's behavior in the days and weeks leading up to the crime, Fife said, contributed to her belief that he was able to comprehend the wrongfulness of the crime.

She said his ability to go to the beach, throw the football, get ice cream and have a good time indicated to her that he wasn't approaching a brief psychotic episode.

"There was no thought disorder, there was no depressive affect, there was no disorganized thought, no one thought he was having trouble making sense," Fife said, of Fujita's behavior on July 2 and 3.

Fife said Fujita's actions of driving Astley's body across town, taking her car to the beach, etc., "Goes against everything that we know scientifically about psychosis."

Fujita's actions after the crime -- Googling about fingerprints and water, joining a Facebook group geared to finding Astley, and looking at photos of himself in the mirror -- were not consistent with a person suffering from a brief psychotic episode.

"That is what I was talking about earlier about the lack of empathy and narcissism," Fife said. "That is a self-oriented, self-serving list of behaviors."

"I don't know how to say it other than that there is no evidence of mental illness," Fife said. "I think the primary motivator was rage."

Morning recess at this time. Back in 15 minutes.

10:02 a.m. -- Prosecutor Lisa McGovern began by asking whether Nathaniel Fujita had ever been diagnosed with a concussion.

"In doctors' notes, I don't recall seeing a specific diagnosis of concussion," Myers said. He added that doctors' notes don't feature any reference to white outs or other concussion symptoms, but in the interview Myers had with Fujita, he said he had seen white.

"The injury that he sustained in 11th grade that caused him to be admitted to the hospital was a bruised lung, is that correct?" McGovern asked.

"That's correct," Myers said.

McGovern asked whether Fujita didn't play football in sixth grade because he broke his collarbone in the first game and didn't play that year. She also pointed out that Wayland didn't have enough players in eighth grade, so it didn't field a team.

Myers said that unless he played on a community league, which Myers had no evidence that he did, he didn't play in eighth grade. Beyond that, Myers said he wasn't sure when exactly Fujita had played football from the time he was 11 through his senior year of high school.

McGovern asked whether chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) went away once a person had it.

Myers agreed that if it's bad enough that it will likely be there for life.

"If Nathaniel Fujita were unable to concentrate well on July 3, 2011 ... you as a physician would expect that he would have that same condition today," McGovern asked.

"Yes, I would," Myers said.

"You're aware ... that he's been investing in stocks, reading the Wall Street Journal on a regular basis, reading National Geographic," McGovern asked.

Myers said he knew this, but that Fujita has trouble with his concentration and reading, which has been documented for a long time.

McGovern then asked whether Myers was aware that Fujita is taking an advanced calculus class, to which Myers responded, "He struggles, but math is one of his strongest areas."

McGovern then asked whether Fujita's lack of concentration and understanding on July 3, 2011, could be due to other issues than CTE.

"He was smoking pot and he was upset that his girlfriend broke up with him, and that can impact concentration," McGovern said.

Myers agreed that was true, but said there were records going back several years that show a problem with concentration.

McGovern asked Myers about a number of Fujita's medical records and visits to doctors, pointing out that at least some of the problems documented in Fujita's medical history were pointed out by his mother. In particular, McGovern pointed out from the records, in the fall of 2010, Dr. O'Ghar said that the chief complaint during that meeting was Fujita's mother saying "he wasn't doing the things we want him to do."

Another meeting with Dr. O'Ghar occurred in June 2011, and Fujita's primary complaint that day was lack of sleep, McGovern asked.

Myers said that during this appointment, Fujita also ranked his mood as a one out of 10. At that time, Myers continued, Dr. O'Ghar documented symptoms of a major depressive disorder.

McGovern pressed Myers on what the diagnosis code "3-1-1" actually was, which was the code Dr. O'Ghar used to diagnose Fujita in June 2011. Myers said he didn't know what the code was, but the symptoms were there for a major depressive disorder.

According to McGovern, Fujita has an IQ of 122 and scored in the 700 range in math and the 500 range in reading on his SAT.

Myers said that Fujita has a mild learning disability that was causing him stress and difficulty.

On the July 25, 2011, tests Myers gave Fujita, the defendant performed well on them all, including one designed to test whether a person was malingering -- or falsifying the tests for gain.

In November 2012, another test showed there could have been "some exaggeration," McGovern said. It presented that "there was at least the possibility" that he was exaggerating his symptoms to appear more sick than he was, she continued.

Myers replied that the alternative interpretation of the results is that he was having difficulty and showing signs of mental illness.

"It's in the context of him having a serious mental illness," Myers said, explaining that the result should be interpreted as signs of mental illness given the other signs that were present.

McGovern asked about Myers watching the booking video and asked whether the doctor realized the moment he saw when Fujita allegedly moved his arm in a "bizarre fashion" was immediately after the handcuffs had been removed.

"It's not immediately after the handcuffs have been removed -- He's sitting there and some time passes and his hand does this strange, twisting out posturing movement," Myers said.

McGovern then turned her questioning to the night of Lauren Astley's murder. She asked whether Myers considered various elements of Fujita's actions the night of the murder, including that he drove Astley's car to the town beach, disposed of her keys, changed his bloody sneakers, drove her body to the other side of town and disposed of the knife.

Myers said that Fujita didn't seem to recall "exactly what happened with the knife."

"What I can tell you is that he wasn't positive about the knife when I talked to him on a couple of occasions," Myers said.

McGovern pointed out that there were multiple searches for the knife, without it being recovered.

"To some extent it didn't seem to be any more than a half-hearted effort," Myers said, when McGovern then asked whether the doctor knew that Fujita returned to his house and attempted to clean up the scene of the murder.

McGovern continued to ask about Fujita's actions after disposing of Astley's body. She asked whether the doctor knew Fujita had conducted a Google search for "Does water erase fingerprints?"

Myers said he did know something about that, but not the exact wording of the search.

McGovern asked Myers to specifically address how many weeks Fujita was "socially isolated," and the doctor responded "it was something that came on and increased."

"It was something that gradually came on and went on, to my understanding, for a few weeks," Myers said.

Myers then testified that Fujita told him Astley "was making it hard for him and being selfish" when it came to him trying to get back together with her.

"She was doing the worst possible thing she could have been doing, by not getting back together with him," McGovern quoted from Myers' report on Fujita.

Sullivan began his redirecting with questions about Myers' academic articles about homicides -- as opposed to just the sexual crimes articles that McGovern mentioned in her Friday cross-examination.

Sullivan pointed out several articles about pharmacological treatment of aggressive youths, other articles about adolescent homicide and articles on other topics.

"What was your role when you're asking Mr. Fujita what happened,? Sullivan asked.

"To understand his mental state at the time of the offense," Myers replied. "At that point, I want to get everything that he can tell me in an open-ended way."

Sullivan asked whether Myers arrived at his opinion immediately after meeting with Fujita on July 25, 2011, or if he developed an opinion after receiving additional information, such as the grand jury transcripts

"My opinion evolved over time ... and it's continued to do so," Myers said.

Sullivan asked Myers to further explain his description of Fujita's mental state as a "Crockpot."

"It was a much bigger problem for Mr. Fujita as he had a loss of his insight ... he was having suicidal feelings .. he's got really no understanding of what's going on inside him.

"And then he's unable to express it to anyone ... because of his psychological impairments," Myers continued.

Myers then testified that Fujita said he only saw Astley's car on July 3, 2011, that he didn't know what she was wearing. McGovern on Friday asked whether it was possible seeing Astley had made him angry that day.

Sullivan asked whether individuals experiencing psychosis can perform normal mechanical actions.

"They can still generally tie their shoes and brush their teeth, eat a meal and make some degree of conversation with people," Myers said.

According to Myers, Fujita didn't tell O'Ghar he was having suicidal feelings in June for fear of how his parents would respond.

Myers then said that Fujita's aunt, Joyce Saba, noticed that he had trouble understand her longer sentences.

We've concluded the redirecting with that. The prosecution's expert witness will be up next.

9:19 a.m. -- The jury has entered, but one member has been excused.

Judge Lauriat said one member informed the court that she had personal issue and has been excused.

Dr. Wade Myers returned to the stand.

9:08 a.m. -- Fujita entered and today is wearing a dark gray suit, purple shirt and tie.

Judge Peter Lauriat entered and called the attorneys into a sidebar conference.

The jury hasn't entered yet.

9 a.m. -- The courtroom isn't as full so far today.

Nathaniel Fujita and his team have yet to enter the courtroom.

We're expecting the cross-examination of the defense's mental health expert, Dr. Wade Myers, to continue today. Following that, the prosecution will call its rebuttal witness.