In a tragic case, the family of a young man killed by a woman in a weed-induced psychosis has spoken out against the verdict. He asserted that the legal system has utterly failed them.
The victim, 26-year-old Chad O’Melia, was gruesomely stabbed 108 times in 2018 by his girlfriend. The perpetrator, Bryn Spejcher, a 32-year-old from Ventura County, fell into a pot-fueled psychosis after getting high on cannabis.
The stabbing took place at the victim’s apartment in Thousand Oaks. According to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, “Both took several hits from a bong loaded with marijuana. Spejcher had an adverse reaction to the marijuana and suffered from what experts call ‘cannabis-induced psychotic disorder.”
Spejcher also stabbed her dog and plunged the knife into her neck when the police arrived. According to a statement from District Attorney Erik Nasarenko’s office, “Officers used a taser and several baton blows before they were able to disarm Spejcher finally.”
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On September 27, 2023, Spejcher was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. The district attorney’s office reduced the murder charges to involuntary manslaughter over protests from O’Melia’s family due to the presence of “cannabis-induced psychotic disorder.” But Spejcher pleaded not guilty to the new charges.
As the trial proceeded, O’Melia’s family hoped that justice and accountability would prevail. Unfortunately, their anguish deepened when Spejcher was convicted to two years on probation and 100 hours of community service.
Ventura County Judge–David Worley, who presided over the case, ruled that Bryn Spejcher had fallen into a marijuana-fueled psychosis. Ultimately, he ruled that she had no control over her actions when she stabbed her boyfriend 108 times. The sentencing has since sparked outrage from O’Melia’s family and supporters.
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The family protested outside the courthouse, demanding that the judge impose a severe judgment on the Spejcher. “When we heard the verdict, we felt the system had completely failed my son Chad and our family, and the judge didn’t do his job,” Chad’s father, Sean O’Melia, commented on America’s Newsroom.
Despite acknowledging the fatal stabbing of their son, the verdict fell short of the family’s expectations. The sentencing did not provide the closure and accountability they desperately sought.
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“He didn’t do what he’s responsible to do. He went against the recommendations of the district attorney. He went against the probation officer’s recommendations, and the community found her guilty. So he didn’t respect the community’s decision either,” the aggrieved father called out.
When asked whether he would appeal the sentencing, the heartbroken father said, “I haven’t discussed that yet with the district attorney. I think we are going to meet sometime in the future here, and I will ask him those questions,” he said. “I’m just trying to spend a little time with my son, Shane. He’s been through hell this past five and a half years, as I have. We also lost Chad’s mother during this time. And it’s been rough.”
He added, “If I had the opportunity to say something to my son, I would tell him that I love him. I’m proud of him; the only thing that separates me from him now is time. And I will see him again on the other side.”
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