The California woman who was convicted of stabbing her lover 108 times during a “cannabis-induced psychosis” received a slap on the wrist Tuesday for the savage murder.
Bryn Spejcher, 33, was sentenced to two years probation and 100 hours of community service after being convicted of killing her new lover, Chad O’Melia, according to the Ventura County Star.
Ventura County Superior Court Judge David Worley determined that Spejcher “had no control over her actions” when she went into a psychotic episode and stabbed O’Melia, 26, 108 times in his Thousand Oaks condominium on May 28, 2018.
Experts for both the prosecution and defense concluded that Spejcher’s marijuana bong hit triggered the woman’s fatal psychotic episode.
“From that point forward, she had no control over her actions,” Worley told the site.
Spejcher and O’Melia had been dating for many weeks before she brutally killed the 26-year-old accountant.
After Spejcher killed O’Melia, police discovered the lady drenched in blood, uncontrollably screaming next to her boyfriend’s body while still holding the knife.
When authorities attempted to disarm her, she thrust the knife into her throat.
Spejcher, who turned 33 on Thursday, also stabbed her dog during the outburst, according to the site.
O’Melia was pronounced dead on the spot.
Spejcher’s lawyers claimed that their client, an inexperienced marijuana user, got “involuntarily intoxicated” at the time of the killing when O’Melia forced her to take another bong hit after she did not get high from the first, according to the source in December.
She had an instant reaction to the second blow and had to rush to the restroom before committing the murder.
Under California law, a person is considered liable for their acts when impaired by drugs or alcohol, unless their drunkenness is involuntary.
In less than four hours, jurors found Spejcher guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
During Tuesday’s sentencing, Spejcher cried in court as she apologized to the victim’s father, Sean O’Melia.
“My actions have ripped your family apart,” she stated, according to the publication. “I’m broken and suffering within. It hurts me that you’ll never see Chad again.
The prosecution characterized Spejcher as a party girl who only wanted to get high the night she killed O’Melia, but her father portrayed her in a different light during the sentencing hearing.
“She has worked her whole life helping others,” Mike Spejcher said, noting his daughter’s hearing handicap and career as a licensed audiologist prior to the assassination.
Sean O’Melia, Chad’s father, accused Worley of prejudice and stated that the judge’s decision established a dangerous precedent.
“He just gave everyone in the state of California who smokes marijuana a license to kill someone,” the bereaved father explained.
“There are no winners in this tragedy,” said Brendan O’Melia, the victim’s uncle. “There can be, however, accountability.”
Bob Schwartz, Spejcher’s lawyer, said Judge Worley’s decision against his client was the “right and courageous thing.”