Doctor cites steroids, drink in shooting, By: Nicole Sequino
Tuesday, April 25, Berkshire Eagle Staff
NORTHAMPTON — The defense interrogated a forensic psychiatrist yesterday about his opinion that Bryan R. Johnston fatally shot his former friend from WahconahRegionalHigh School out of rage and paranoia resulting from steroid and alcohol use.
Greenfield attorney Alexander Z. Nappan attempted to discredit the testimony of Dr. Michael Welner, a key witness for the prosecution in the fourth week of the murder trial against Johnston, 24, a Dalton native.
Johnston is accused of killing David C. Sullivan, 22, a town of Washington native, on Dec. 7, 2004, at the victim's Amherst apartment.
Earlier in the trial, two mental health experts had testified for the defense that Johnston was either suffering from a paranoid delusional disorder or from paranoid schizophrenia.
They also claimed that Johnston had delusions that Sullivan and the Mafia wanted to kill him.
Throughout the questioning, Welner upheld his theory that Johnston was sane when he killed Sullivan, with whom he graduated in 2000.
At several points, Nappan attacked Welner's credibility. He pointed to Welner's Web site, in which the forensic psychiatrist was listed as an expert in six areas of forensic science except mental illness.
As another example, Nappan asked Welner whether he had taken into consideration the interview that Dr. Carol Feldman conducted with Johnston before reaching his opinion. Feldman is a forensic psychologist for the defense.
Nappan showed a portion of the videotaped interview in which Johnston explained to Feldman that he called Sullivan at on Dec. 6, 2004, to ask him why he was threatening him.
Feldman had testified that Johnston was referring to his delusion that Sullivan had tried to kill him.
Welner claimed that his interview with Johnston and witnesses' statements indicated a different story.
Instead, Welner said, Johnston had been asking several friends out for drinks that night, including Sullivan, who was the last person to reject his invitation.
"He indicated to me that this (murder)
may never have happened at all had they gone out that night," Welner added. "(Mr. Johnston) said that David Sullivan wanted nothing to do with him and felt that Mr. Johnston had no right to call him."
When asked by Nappan, Welner conceded that he thought Johnston could have been faking his delusions and mental illness, but said he considered the "totality of the situation" before reaching his opinion about the defendant's state of mind.
Nappan implied that Welner also directed the prosecutor, First Assistant District Attorney Renee L. Steese, to have the police reinterview certain witnesses in the case to support his theory that Johnston's irrational behavior was alcohol- and steroid-induced.
Welner said that he did ask Steese to have the police interview some witnesses again and handed her detailed questions, but he claimed that it was because he wanted to clarify questions he had about the case.
He said this included whether Johnston was under any influence of alcohol or drugs during certain situations.
Nappan also asked Welner whether he thought Johnston was delusional when, in early 2005, he fought with two inmates at the Hampshire House of Correction after being there for several weeks without drugs, alcohol or steroids.
Nappan noted that Feldman testified that Johnston had alluded to his delusions that the FBI wanted him to pick the fights to create a distraction for his escape.
"I don't know," Welner replied. "There's conflicting information. I would say that it's a distinct possibility but it's not the only possibility."
