A Minnesota man has declared himself unfit to appear in court for the murders of his sister, mother and grandmother – with the court citing mental health problems exacerbated by years of energy drink consumption.
David R. Acres, 36, was adamant about ineligible to appear in court last week in the July 2020 attack that killed his 34-year-old sister Eleanor Acres. his mother is 63-year-old Linda Akers; 86-year-old Darlene Prost found him, The Star Tribune reported.
“[Ekers] He has no ability to participate in his defense with a reasonable degree of understanding or rationally participate in his defense,” Judge Lisa Janzen ruled. “His psychotic thinking currently leads to impairments in judgment, reasoning, and decision-making.”
Janzen cited a report by Dr. Jennifer Harrison that described a “history of a psychotic disorder characterized by hallucinations, delusions, impaired thought processes, speech, and disorganized behavior.”
“[Harrison] It also noted that the defendant had reported a history of increased caffeine use, which may exacerbate psychotic symptoms,” Janzen wrote.
The judge noted that there was evidence going back years that Elkers’ consumption of energy drinks had negatively affected his mental health.
She reported how during his 2018 hospitalization, his psychotic symptoms worsened with heavy consumption of energy drinks.
More recently this year, he told the doctor that he sometimes hears noises “because of the lack of sleep and the consumption of energy drinks,” according to the ruling.
His defense attorney, Melissa Fraser, upheld the ruling.
“I have high respect for Judge Janzin, and I respect her views with great respect,” she told the newspaper.
Akers is accused of attacking his sister, mother, and grandmother with a pipe wrench he believed wanted him to go to the hospital or take his medication.
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