A Decatur man, accused of stabbing his mother and her husband two years ago, was declared not guilty due to insanity. The judge determined that while he did commit the act, he was mentally ill at the time.
During the bench trial on May 30, Judge Thomas Griffith concluded the prosecution had established, without a doubt, that Quincy Thompson was guilty of two attempted murder charges. However, psychiatric evaluations from both sides revealed Thompson was in a “state of insanity or mental defect.” This condition rendered him incapable of grasping the nature of his actions or recognizing the criminal aspect of his actions.
As a result, Griffith decided Thompson could not be held legally responsible. It is important to note that this does not imply an acquittal or immediate release back into the community.
Thompson is due back in court on June 12 for a disposition hearing, when Griffith will decide what will happen to him and what kind of treatment, if necessary, he will receive in a state psychiatric facility.
The verdict comes almost two years after Thompson was arrested for the stabbing, which happened the morning of Sept. 14, 2023. In a sworn statement, Officer Tyler Nottingham said officers responded to a report of stabbing victims at a home near Division Street and Maple Avenue. When officers arrived, they found two people — a man and woman both 70 years old — with stab wounds to the face, neck and back.
Both victims advised that Thompson, who was present when officers arrived, was responsible for the attack and he was taken into custody. The woman added that she is Thompson’s mother and that he lives at the home with them.
Nottingham said the male victim advised officers that the stabbing was unprovoked with no argument beforehand.
“(He) advised he got out of bed to get some coffee,” Nottingham said. “While he was in the kitchen area, Quincy came into this room and started to stab him in the face.”
Thompson’s mother told officers that she ran into the kitchen when she heard her husband screaming. She saw her son stabbing him and jumped on top of her husband to stop Thompson.
At this point, Thompson started stabbing his mother, Nottingham said.
Both victims suffered “potentially life-threatening injuries” but survived.
After obtaining a search warrant for the home, Nottingham said officers recovered a folding pocketknife covered in blood, with a 3- or 4-inch blade.
The case had been set to go to a jury trial on May 12, but court records show the trial was vacated four days before that date and the parties agreed to a bench trial. During that trial, the state moved to dismiss four other counts — two each of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm and aggravated domestic battery.
