Posted on: Thursday, May 5, 2005

Kailua killing suspect insane, experts say

Advertiser Staff

Three court-appointed mental health experts have concluded that a 21-year-old man charged with murdering his mother and aunt by stabbing them and torching a Kailua home last year was legally insane.

Micah White suffered from a mental disorder that substantially impaired his ability to know the difference between right and wrong, the legal test for an insanity acquittal. Two of the three experts also found his ability to control himself also was impaired.

White is accused of stabbing the two women and burning down his Kailua family home while the two were still inside the residence April 5, 2004.

The three experts found during their examinations that White talked about vampires and one reported that he thought the two women were vampires.

Circuit Judge Virgina Crandall held a hearing on whether to allow a mental health expert hired by the prosecution to evaluate White at the State Hospital. The hearing will resume later.

White's defense is expected to seek an insanity acquittal. The trial is scheduled for August.