State v. Laible

KONENKAMP, Justice.

[¶ 1.] Defendant, Ben Laible, appeals a jury verdict finding him guilty but mentally ill of second degree murder. He asserts multiple evidentiary and constitutional errors in his trial. We affirm on all issues.

Facts

[¶ 2.] Kathleen Laible, a sixty-seven-year-old widow, lived on her farm near Howard, South Dakota. In August 1996, her adult son, Ben, moved back in with her. It was not the first time. Over the years he often stayed with her for extended periods. Although she loved all her children, she felt especially protective of her “Benny.” He suffered from long-term mental…