CASE BACKGROUND: Closing arguments are slated this morning in the trial of Daniel J. Mustard, 19, accused of stabbing to death 87-year-old Ruby Andrews in South Kitsap on April 5, 2009.

The trial has largely revolved around Mustard’s mental state at the time of the crime. Jurors will be asked to decide whether he knew the nature and quality of his act on that day. Jurors will be asked to consider whether he could form the intent of his actions due to “involuntary intoxication” or “diminished capacity.”

He faces a life sentence if convicted of first-degree premeditated murder or a commitment at Western State Hospital if acquitted.

Closing arguments are slated to start about 9:30 a.m. or so.

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CASE BACKGROUND: A nationally known forensic psychologist is expected to testify today that a South Kitsap teen wasn’t legally insane when he killed an 87-year-old woman in April 2009.

Kitsap County Prosecutors plan to call Dr. Park Dietz to the stand in their first-degree murder case against Daniel J. Mustard. It’s been a long time coming; the trial has already been going since late September.

There is no argument between the attorneys involved of the fact that Mustard stabbed Andrews to death at her South Kitsap home on April 5, 2009. The contention is whether Mustard was insane under the state’s legal definition at the time of the crime.

Mustard’s attorney, Bryan Hershman, has already has already called to the stand a doctor who testified that Mustard was indeed insane when he killed Andrews.

We’ll begin the live blog at 9 a.m.

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Here’s the case background:

An expert is expected to testify Monday that Daniel J. Mustard was out of his mind when he stabbed to death Ruby Andrews at her South Kitsap home in April 2009.

The trial of Mustard, charged by prosecutors with first-degree murder, began in late September. The case hinges upon the mental state of the defendant, who has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

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CASE BACKGROUND: A 19-year-old South Kitsap man goes on trial today for the aggravated murder of 87-year-old Ruby Andrews in April 2009, following almost two weeks of jury selection.

Opening arguments are slated in the case of Daniel James Mustard this morning.

Mustard, 17 at the time of the incident, is accused of stabbing and robbing Andrews in her Colchester home on April 5, 2009. He is being tried as an adult.

The case hinges on Mustard’s mental state at the time of the offense.

Prosecutors are slated to argue that Mustard knew right from wrong when he killed Andrews. But Bryan Hershman, Mustard’s attorney, will attempt to sway jurors that Mustard was either insane or had “diminished capacity” — that he couldn’t fully comprehend his actions — at the time of the killing.

The Kitsap Sun will carry a live blog of the opening arguments when they begin at 10:30 a.m. this morning.

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