Episode 12: The Case Against ... #DamienEchols, #WM3 Damien's suicidal rampage in Oregon and hospitalization

Episode 12, The Case Against

From "Blood on Black" by Gary Meece

"Suicidal, threatening family, drug Use, Parental concern re: Satanism"

When Pam Echols and Joe Hutchison picked up Damien from Charter Hospital in Little Rock, Hutchison had not seen his son for years and didn’t recognize him at first. “I was in there and turned around to Pam and ask her, ‘Is this him?’ You know, I was very confused,” Hutchison later testified.

In a Sept. 3, 2000, declaration, Hutchison talked about Damien’s time in Oregon: “I told Pam I thought we should move to Oregon and we packed up the family and took off. Michael was having a really hard time then. He had just broken up with his girlfriend Deanna and cried the entire ride up there. He was just really, really sad. When we got to Oregon, I set Michael up with a job at one of the BP gas stations that I ran. I thought Michael would do a really good job working there and I was hoping that everything was going to work out.”

Echols spent several weeks with the family in Aloha, Ore., just outside Portland, before matters came to a head.

As with many accounts from the Echols family, what actually happened remained unclear. Several incidents led up to Echols being readmitted to a mental hospital.

One medical professional subsequently downplayed Echols’ display of symptoms, suggesting he was using alleged mental problems as a means of manipulation.

Indeed, Echols often has seemed able to turn the “crazy” off at will, using his “mental illness” as just another attention-seeking schtick, like dressing up in black, or as an excuse for bad behavior.

Echols was either dangerously mentally ill or doing a very good imitation of a violent maniac in Portland.

As Joe Hutchison later testified, “The altercations that was brought up is two different instances made in one. The first instance was this is —- I was afraid —- he had a habit of shutting his bedroom door and had been by himself and him being depressed as he was, and the medicine that he was taking, I was worried. I went into the bedroom. I opened the bedroom door. He did have a knife. It wasn’t an altercation at that time. I asked him one time, ‘Hand me the knife.’ There was never an argument, never a cross word. He handed me the knife.”

Hutchison testified Echols had been talking about committing suicide.

As for the second incident, Hutchison testified, “I am the one who took him to the hospital. … And the altercation that broke out he did tell me he would eat me alive but it was after I made the first move …. He had —- he didn’t want to be there but he went there because I took him there for them to do observation on him and at that time and the way that I am, sometimes my temper gets the best of me. If you say just one little word, you know, it would kind of tee me off. But it was my mistake. I’m the one who cause him to tell me that … He stood up in there and he said somebody is going to get slapped. Well, if anybody had to be slapped, I’d rather it had been me. I stood in front of him and called him names that I shouldn’t have called him. I called him a punk and I’m one —- I can’t —- it’s my fault. He did tell me he would eat me alive but it was after that. I’m the one who caused it.”

Hutchison testified that Echols remained in the hospital about two weeks, though records showed he was there just two days. “From there he was homesick for his girlfriend and everything. I had to make arrangements for her to come out there.” Echols supposedly had been distraught over his breakup with Deanna but had also reconnected with Domini. Given the time frame, it’s not clear how Hutchison would have been able to make arrangements for Domini “to come out there.”

“And he was set on coming back into Arkansas, back to West Memphis, and at that time Jack was living down there.”

Hutchison testified, “And finally I said, ‘Well, you know if that’s what he wants, then, you know, let him have him.’ And that’s when he come back to live with Jack. … I put him in a cab. I had a cab take him to the bus station.”

According to records at St. Vincent’s Hospital and Medical Center in Portland, Echols was admitted on on Sept. 2, 1992. Echols was described as “suicidal, threatening family, drug use, parental concern re: satanism.”

According to notes from a social worker: “Dad says that Damien has been sniffing gasoline & that at dinner table tonight he talks about drinking a bottle of bleach & that it would be over soon. Pt told sister that he would be killing himself in the next 3 days … has made threats to kill himself by hanging w/bed sheet or tying socks together & told grandmother today that he would cut his mother’s throat.”

Hutchison later struggled to explain the incident to WMPD Chief Inspector Gary Gitchell and John Fogleman: “There had been some kind of misunderstanding one night, you know, I was in on it. And I was, somebody had uh, a matter of fact, his grandmother had told me, well, you know, he’s got a knife. He’s got a knife out of the drawer … I went looking for it. I did not find one, you know. And after all this was over with, and there was a big scuffle, um, there wasn’t a scuffle. We didn’t fight. No, did not fight. Uh, he was took to the hospital. …”

Gitchell asked: “Well why did you have to take him to the hospital?”

Hutchison answered: “Because when I accused him of this, he got a little upset, and again, I haven’t been around this boy in 8 years, and uh, so I told him that it’s best, let’s go to the hospital. Now, you know we all know you know, uh, I’m not going to say he’s not right, you know …”

Understandably Fogleman and Gitchell did not know. Fogleman followed up with the obvious, unanswered question: “What, I mean, what happened that it got so bad, he needed to go to the hospital?”

Hutchison’s answer did little to clarify: “Nothing, really. I called the police out there. I will tell you what I did do. And you know, he was making his money, and he was spending his money any way that he wanted to spend it. And I didn’t care cause I was the one paying the bills … uh, he had bought 3 knives … To me it was just knives in a holster that you wear on your sock. … And, you know, naturally you accuse somebody of something, and he was … he’s always been afraid, I won’t say more afraid of the police, okay, so, he put the knives on. And he was in his bedroom. … This was at, at, you know, the start. … So, I go into the bedroom, and I sit down on the bed, you know, and I don’t picture Damien as hurting other people. … His self maybe. I would believe that more than I would him hurting other people.”

Fogleman: “Have you ever seen him try to hurt himself?“

The typically self-contradicting answer: “No, nothing, you know. I’ve seen him beat his head on a wall. … Other than that, that’s all I’ve seen. …

“So, I went in there, and I sat on his bed, and I just said, what you gonna do with them? He say, they’re not gonna take me Daddy. They’re not going to take me. I said who is gonna take you? The police. You called the police. I said son, I said I ain’t trying to have you locked up. So, I talked to him for a minute there, and I asked him, I said I want to ask you, I said I want the knives. … Without any resistance whatsoever, I got ‘em. … But, the only altercation, like I said, that we had, was at the hospital. …”

Fogleman continued to try to get an answer to the obvious question: “Uh huh. Why did you call the police?”

Hutchison said: “ … I knew he had a case of mental imbalance. … I didn’t want to take any chances. If he exploded then, I wanted to call the police.”

Hutchison denied he had concerns about his own safety: “You know, Damien wouldn’t hurt me.” Hutchison explained again that Damien had offered no resistance and there was no knife taken from the drawer as the grandmother alleged.

Fogleman tried again: “Alright, well then why did you call the police?”

Hutchison: “Because, you know. He does have a temper. You know, he got a little … It was nothing that I couldn’t handle, but I didn’t want to take any chances. … He did not do anything. The only thing he said y’all don’t believe nothing I say. You take her word over mine … You want to look at it, he was right … You know that he had bought knives, and I took them. At that point, after, before I took the knives, I did call the police. Before they got there, I went in and I took the knives myself.”

In his 2000 declaration, Hutchison offered more details: “While we were in Oregon, Michael got really sad, like the time when we were driving up there. Finally he locked himself up in a closet and had taken something in there with him. His grandmom told me that Michael had a knife. I thought that this was really serious and Pam and I made him go to a hospital in Oregon. Michael got really upset with me and I lost my temper and, after I yelled at him, he got even more upset. I feel bad about this whole incident because what started it was when Michael’s grandmother told me he had a knife. I do not know why I immediately trusted her, instead of checking it out, but what I found out later was that Michael may have just had a spoon with him.”

Unlike in 1993, Hutchison said Echols had locked himself in a closet and he made no mention in 2000 of the three knives in a holster taken from Echols.

Damien testified that he had several knives on him during this incident, including a boot knife.

Pam Hutchison told investigators the trip to the Oregon hospital “was basically for the same thing” as the trip to Charter in June. “He was real depressed. He cried a lot. He didn’t want to come out of his room.”

In a declaration on Sept. 4, 2000, she said: “Damien was very unhappy in Oregon. I was very worried about him because he would lock himself in a closet and talk about suicide. I finally decided that he had to be placed in a hospital so that he did not do anything to himself. He did not want to be admitted but I insisted because I was very concerned for him. Damien got really upset with me and Joe for putting him in there but I did not feel that I had a choice. After he was released from the hospital, we sent him back to West Memphis on a bus. I wanted him to stay in Oregon with us but I thought that if he really wanted to go back to Arkansas then instead of arguing with him to stay, I should just let him go.” Pam made no mention of calling the police, the knives in a holster, the threats to cut her throat, the threats against Joe; in her version, she was the one who made the decision to have Damien hospitalized; she also claimed she wanted him to stay on with them while everyone else said the family wanted him out of the home.

“… He never threatened to kill me. … I’m sure about that. … In my opinion, sometimes he lets his temper get the best of him. And he said, well, I’m fixing to hit somebody, and I stopped him. I said no, you’re not.”

Echols later admitted he had been drinking that night. At the hospital, he threatened to eat his father alive with a spoon.

The emergency room report said: “The patient … comes in by way of parents, concerned about his mental health. Apparently, the police were called to the house and after discussing with him his options, he comes voluntarily to St. Vincent Hospital for evaluation. Apparently, the parents were concerned about his thoughts of harming himself and possibly others.”

Echols told the staff he had been feeling homesick after talking with friends in Arkansas and that his parents misinterpreted his tears as a sign of depression.

The ER report said: “He apparently has had thoughts of harming himself by his report to the family members, even though he denies that. He has talked about drinking lye or some type of bleach that would kill himself, he has also apparently told his sister that he won’t be around much longer. The parents are concerned that he is also into satanism or devil worship. He apparently has a number of items that relates to this. …

“… He has apparently cut on his hands in the past …

“The patient denies suicidal or homicidal ideation at this time, however, in talking with the family members, they state that he made it quite clear that he had thoughts of harming other people, i.e. was going to cut the throat of his mother and has said so in the past and also apparently made some verbal threats to his father here at St. Vincent Hospital even.”

In the ER, Echols was calm, responsive and lucid, denying hallucinations or delusions. He denied most of the information given by his father, including that he wanted to harm himself or kill others. He denied involvement in Satanism or cult activities.

Echols told the doctors: “Everything is fine at home.”

The admission diagnosis? “Suicidal/homicidal ideation. Adjustment disorder.”

Echols was placed on suicide watch. He apparently slept well that night.

Notes for his treatment plan: “When seen … this morning, he continues to deny suicidal ideation, but acknowledges that he has been depressed for quite some time related to ongoing legal and family problems and most recently missing his friends in Arkansas.” He was described as quietly compliant.

Later, “Parents visited …. visit did not go well. he was tearful & would not discuss visit other than to say ‘I no longer have parents.’’’ Staffers heard Echols beg his parents to take him home. He showed little interest in complying with treatment after that.

Echols filled out a questionnaire of several pages for the patient database.

The first question: “what do you do when you feel uptight or angry?” His answer: “nothing”

He gave the same answer to “who do you turn to when things are not going well?”

On personal qualities, he checked off “cold and not very emotional,” “a leader,” “bored easily” and “quick tempered.” He said it was “easy to make friends.”

What he liked best about himself was his “determination” and that he wanted to change “nothing” about himself.

To questions about school, he scrawled, “I don’t go to school.”

He felt different from other kids: “Other kids are shallow.…”

“Neither” parent was the easiest to get along with.

He said his parents had no alcohol, drug or legal troubles and said there were no problems that his family argued about routinely. Asked “how do your parents discipline you?” he answered, “They don’t.”

He described his mother as having a number of positive traits, adding that she was “stupid.” He said his father was “stupid” and bad-tempered. He said his parents had a “warm and affectionate” relationship in which they “enjoy activities together” and “argue often.”

He said he was allergic to “everything” and had used “marijuana, speed, acid, gas.”

A perceptive progress report noted: “He appears to be an individual who passively provokes anxiety in others including actual petty criminal behavior, now mixed up with suicidal threats entitling him to psychiatric treatment. …

“He is not suicidal, but rather is in disagreement about living in Oregon and on this basis pines for Arkansas and his friends.”

A discerning mental health professional had noted manipulative aspects of Damien’s “mental health problem.”

Echols told doctors: “I’m the only person who stands up to my Dad. My Mom just cries but I don’t stand for him pushing me around. I won’t want anything to do with either one of them. I just want to be on my own from here on out. I’m not suicidal, that’s their way of trying to keep me in a hospital & away from my friends & girlfriend.”

Dr. Stanley Sturges in his Physician’s Progress Report on Sept. 3 bolstered Echols’ self-assessment: “…. There is no evidence of a thought disorder. He is not depressed and his efforts at self harm may be seen more as a manipulation to escape responsibility for a wide variety of behaviors which have got him into difficulty with the law. … Plans for emancipation and return to Arkansas seem reasonable to me.”

A social services report noted that Pam and Joe showed up for the assessment, explaining they had recently reconciled after many years apart. “Father maintains that he barely knows his son. …

“Pam stated that she has had difficulty with Damien since he was 10 years old. He always tended to be an angry child and somewhat difficult to manage, particularly through his adolescent years. She is convinced that he is into activities, such as witchcraft and is very concerned about the quality of friends that he developed while living in Arkansas. For this reason, she felt that coming to Oregon would be a new beginning for him. …

“Because of the circumstances that precipitated the hospitalization and Damien’s threats, particularly toward his father and of course his mother, both parents do not feel that they wish to have him return to their home. They are frightened of him and what he can do, not only to them but to other children that reside in the home.”

Damien described plans to go back to Arkansas, including making proper arrangements with his probation officer. Jerry Driver had continued to track Echols’ whereabouts.

An attending nurse noted that Echols’ mother would be picking him up after his discharge and making arrangements for travel back to Arkansas by bus. “Damien has been quiet, but cooperative. He shows little or no investment in treatment.”

Echols said he was engaged to Domini, who was still living in Illinois with her father though Dian Teer, her mother, lived in Arkansas. According to Dian, Echols returned from Oregon “to be with Domini.” Domini apparently left the home of her father about this time, because she could not get along with him, to live with her mom. She reunited with Echols soon after his return. They had been boyfriend and girlfriend prior to Echols’ final breakup with Deanna.

Meanwhile, Echols’ parents planned to remarry.

The discharge summary on Sept. 4 stated Echols had been admitted to the emergency room “because of alleged threats to his parents.” It cited “considerable conflict between him and his parents through the years in which he has threatened to harm himself in the context of a host of legal difficulties.” Echols offered contradicting claims about his use of street drugs, at one point saying he had not used in four months, at another saying he had not used in a year and in the discharge summary, “He admits … using street drugs within the past year.”

In Glori Shettles’ notes about the hospital stay prepared for his defense, she wrote: “Diagnosis — Suicidal ideation, Depression. Admitted through Emergency Room — parents called police — alleged threat to parents. Parents stated he has been abusing drugs. Threatening suicide.

“Information was consistent from Michael. Parents expressed concern that he was involved in satanism. Felt family members were in danger. Michael stirred chocolate with a spoon. Grandmother accused him of having knife, but wasn’t true. …

“Probation officer made phone arrangements for Michael to return to Arkansas and check in with probation office upon arrival. Michael missed friends and parents thought it was best he return without them. Hospital agreed. Did not feel he was suicidal or a threat.”

In still another description, Dr. George W. Woods said in his 2000 affidavit: “Mr. Echols’ mental illness worsened after his release from Charter Hospital. Within two weeks of moving to Oregon with his family he was voluntarily admitted to St. Vincent Hospital in Portland after his parents observed extremely bizarre behavior that was unresponsive to outside influence. Mr. Echols and his family have different memories of the events surrounding Mr. Echols’ admission to St. Vincent’s Hospital. …

“As had staff members at Charter Hospital, those at St. Vincent consistently described Mr. Echols as quiet, compliant and noncombative. The admitting diagnoses were psychotic disorder, not otherwise specified, dysthymia, depression, and suicidal ideation. However, within 48 hours these diagnoses were changed to adjustment disorder of adolescence with disturbance of conduct, whereupon Mr. Echols was discharged to his parents with instructions to continue taking daily doses of 150 mg. of Imipramine. Despite two psychiatric hospitalizations within six weeks, Mr. Echols’ parents allowed the disturbed 17-year-old to return to Arkansas.”

The Case Against … with Gary Meece

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The author of “The Case Against the West Memphis 3 Killers” follows new developments in the case, as well as other cases covered in various podcasts, televisions shows and documentaries, such as “Making a Murderer,” “Truth and Justice,” “The Staircase,” and related news coverage, with a heavy emphasis on detailing misinformation and propaganda designed to subvert the judicial process.

Episode 11: “A bizarre and unusual manner” The Case Against with Gary Meece, #WM3 #DamienEchols #TrueCrime

March 3, 2019

From "Blood on Black: The Case Against the West Memphis 3 Killers, Volume I" by Gary Meece:

"A Bizarre and Unusual Manner"

Damien Echols was first referred to family treatment from the Department of Human Services on May 5, 1992, a year to the day before the murders. The family was living in Lakeshore.

The referral form, based on allegations from his sister Michelle, stated: “Child reported her step-father has been sexually abusing her for a long time. Her mother knows about it but has done nothing to stop it. Sexual abuse reportedly occurred periodically from age 7 until present. The abuse included fondling.”

Charges were pending contingent on counseling.

According to records from the East Arkansas Regional Mental Health Center in West Memphis, the family was in deep disarray. Gloria Stevenson, the family service worker, reported: “It appears that the Echols family has extreme problems related to an ongoing history of sexual abuse, suspected emotions problems and undefined interpersonal relationship disorders. Mr. Echols admits to being overly affectionate with Michelle and to have been charged for indecently exposing himself to an older daughter, however, Mrs. Echols states that she feels Michelle is lying as she has been skipping school and sexually acting out. Michelle alleges to have had several miscarriages though the mother denies it. Damien Echols on the other hand, holds his adopted father in low regard and feels the allegations are in fact true. Mrs. Echols states Damien is in need of counseling and evaluation as he feels he is ‘smarter than everyone else’ and will verbalize this fact. He also reportedly has little regard for others and stated he feels people have no true feeling for each other; Their main purpose is to use and bring harm to others around them. Mrs. Echols reports that Damien has attempted to fight with her on occasion.”

Beyond the lack of consensus on reality among the Echols family, Damien’s mother described his persistent grandiosity and a view of reality typical of psychopathic personalities who have little empathy and view others as objects to be used. His mother gave the lie to Damien’s claim that he was not violent as a teenager.

She later told caseworkers that she “was most concerned about son ‘not learning to deal with anger and rages.’ {Mother} mentioned her belief that son may be responding to outside stimulation. Voiced fear ‘son may be crazy.’”

Besides the family drama, Damien’s teenage love life took a histrionic turn.

“By the age of sixteen Mr. Echols’ depression and hopelessness was written all over his body,” wrote Dr. George Woods in his 2001 report. “He wore black clothes, hair and nails. His strange, often flat affect kept him out of step with mainstream life in a small Arkansas town. Yet he found one person, a young girl with problems of her own, whom he felt could understand him. They developed a relationship and became inseparable. Her parents strongly opposed their dating and tried to keep them apart.

“Desperate to stay together, they planned to go to California. Mr. Echols’ mother, overtaxed with her own problems, did not intervene to keep the troubled teenagers near their parents. Instead, she gave them no more than $10.00 to $15.00 - the only money she had - as a contribution toward expenses.”

Echols and Deanna Holcomb, 15, had broken up earlier that spring at the insistence of her parents. Echols’ violent reaction brought charges of terroristic threatening.

Echols promptly found a new girlfriend, Domini Teer, but continued to pursue Deanna. Finally, Damien and Deanna decided to run away together to California. They didn’t get far.

The teens were reported as runaways on May 19, 1992. Police found them hiding in the closet of an abandoned mobile home in Lakeshore. The teens were “partially nude from the waist down,” according to the arrest report. Damien and Deanna were both charged initially with burglary and sexual misconduct and taken to the county jail. Juvenile Officer Jerry Driver was contacted, and the teenage lovers were permanently separated.

Echols shared a different, infinitely more romantic memory of his final encounter with Deanna in a May 14, 1996, letter to future wife Lorri Davis, as revealed in “Yours for Eternity”: “ … When I was 16, I was very much in love. Her name was Deanna. One day we skipped school together. We walked for miles until we found a place that was absolutely beautiful. There were hills, and the grass was so full and soft and green, the sky was grey and overcast. We spent hours talking, telling each other things that we had never told another living soul, our worst fears, our most wished-for dreams, and we made love several times. I never suspected that that would be the last time that I ever saw her. There’s no way that words can ever do this memory justice, but it’s a day that has returned to haunt me every day of my life.” This pastoral interlude set amidst the nonexistent hills of Crittenden County was a far cry from the reality of a rainy night in a ramshackle trailer.

As he was being held in a police car, Echols later told a psychiatrist, he witnessed his girlfriend’s father coming toward her as she waited with officers. Damien “states that he was able to work his fingers loose, moved over and was able to slip the safety off of the police officer’s gun which had been left in the police vehicle. Damien freely admitted he had plans to shoot the girlfriend’s father if he acted in an aggressive manner toward the girl.” As part of his rich fantasy life, Echols’ thoughts often turned to homicide.

Sheriff’s Department investigators searched the Echols home and confiscated a number of items that would show up at his murder trial, including a dog skull that Echols explained was “a decoration for my room” as well as a “Book of Shadows” detailing his progress on the Wiccan path.

“Mr. Echols was taken to a juvenile facility where he attempted to hang himself,” wrote Dr. Woods. “Following their arrests and initial evaluations both youths were placed in psychiatric hospitals.”

Echols was sent first to the Craighead County Juvenile Detention Center in Jonesboro and then, after the suicide threat, to East Arkansas Regional Mental Health Center.

On May 28, 1992, Echols was given a Millon Adolescent Personality (MAPI) test, designed especially for teenagers, which reported “The behavior of this youngster is characterized by impulsive hostility, an apprehensive distrust of others and an edgy defensiveness against criticism. Fearing that others will dominate and possibly brutalize him, he puts forward a socially blunt and aggressive public posture. He fantasizes being all powerful so as to block others from possessing the means to be belittling and harmful. He believes that only alert vigilance and vigorous counteraction can prevent the malice of others. Closeness to others, displaying weakness and a willingness to compromise are seen as fatal concessions.

“The desire to gain power and demean others springs from animosity and a wish to vindicate past grievances. Although frequently unsuccessful in these aims, this teenager believes that past degradations may be undone by provoking fear and intimidation in others. He often loses his temper, gets into fights and acts in a daring fashion. He avoids displaying warmth, gentleness and intimacy. Defiance and disobedience are rationalized into virtues. …

“Inadequacy and failure are intolerable to him, and blame is quickly projected outward.

“Disposed to be headstrong and able to inspire discomfort and anger in others, he may use his position in the family to bully young sibs into submission. … He is rarely able to submerge the memories of past humiliations and this resentment may break though … in impulsive and irrational anger. …

“Cool and distant, this youth demonstrates little or no compassion for others, viewing their difficulties as the product of their own weaknesses. He is likely to feel no compunction about ignoring their needs and sensitivities. This lack of empathy may lead this youngster to serve only himself regardless of the consequences for those around him.”

Among the statements about himself that Echols designated as “true”: “It is easy for me to take advantage of people. … Punishment never stopped me from doing whatever I wanted. … I have a pretty hot temper.”

He was diagnosed as “adjustment disorder with disturbances of conduct.”

Among the therapeutic implications: “Teenager may relate to the clinician in a polite, though passive way. … Difficulties will be attributed to others who are claimed to be the source of problems…. Efforts to be what may be called a good and cooperative patient will be exhibited, even when restraining strong and angry feelings.”

Dr. Woods reported: “Personnel at East Arkansas Regional Mental Health Center described Mr. Echols as very disturbed. He was withdrawn, spoke little, and rarely had eye contact with anyone: ‘he stared at the wall or cast his eyes downward.’ He appeared ‘confused,’ and dressed strangely -- ‘all in black.’ He was preoccupied with his fingernails, which he ‘filed to points.’ Concerned about the nature and complexity of his problems Mental Health Center staff recommended that Mr. Echols immediately be involuntarily committed to Charter Hospital in Little Rock for more extensive evaluation and treatment.”

A request for service dated June 1 recorded a threat “to hang himself while in custody.” The intake sheet noted that Damien and Deanna had a pact to commit suicide if they could not be together and that Damien was continuing to express suicidal thoughts, voicing plans to use a sheet to hang himself. Damien admitted to the suicide plan: “It would have been necessary if her parents would not have let us see each other.”

Driver had Echols admitted to Charter Hospital in Little Rock for a monthlong stay. Admission papers noted: “He has a history of extreme physical aggression toward others.”

Criteria for the emergency admission included:

“1. Fire setting behavior by history.”

“2. Potential danger to property.”

“3. Excessive irritability and anger that is potentially dangerous and persistent.”

“4. Involvement in bizarre and unusual behavior.”

A case file from June 1 reported that Echols “admits to having seen suspended 7X this past semester for inciting fights at school, starting small fires, cussing. States in one fight he almost gouged out the victim’s eyes.”

A report on June 2 stated: “He has been suspended x7 due to negative behaviors in the classroom. Information does suggest that Damien has set fire to his academic classroom on two occasions, that he has also been truant, engaged in physical confrontations while on school grounds and has, often times, threatened to put ‘hexes’ on school instructors.”

Echols admitted to being a “practicing warlock” while denying devil worship. He had a “blood brother” with whom he exchanged blood. Damien said he had one friend: “A friend is someone who would die for you — everyone else is only interested in themselves & what they want.”

Deanna was also admitted for mental treatment, at Mid-South Mental Health; Echols had been scheduled to go there but because his girlfriend was there, he had been sent to Charter.

Concerning allegations about abuse in his family, Damien denied he had been abused, an assertion “strongly questioned.” He denied feeling violent, saying he saw fighting as a release: “Sometimes I have to do this not because of feeling angry — sometimes I’m confused.”

On the home front, Jack Echols was gone, and Pam Echols had reunited with Joe Hutchison after little or no contact over the past seven years.

Damien admitted to using drugs, including speed “over a month ago.”

Glori Shettles’ “attorney work project” for the Echols murder defense quoted the Charter records: “Information from detention center — Damien and girlfriend to have baby and sacrifice it. Damien denies this. Says he is involved in witchcraft, not satanism. Alleged to have chased younger child with ax and attempted to set house on fire. Damien denies this. States girlfriend’s family wants him in trouble. Admits to violence … Suspensions and disruptive at school. Has heart problems, asthma, bronchitis and migraine headaches.”

Damien underwent a psychological evaluation.

He also explained his name change. He repeatedly has denied that “Damien” was inspired by the diabolical child in the 1970s hit movie “The Omen,” instead claiming he took the name from a Catholic priest who worked with lepers. The name was shared by one of the main characters in “The Exorcist.” A character in that book explains, “It was the name of a priest who devoted his life to taking care of lepers on the island of Molokai. He finally caught the disease himself.” Among the books found in Echols’ room at the time of arrest was a copy of “The Exorcist.”

Echols later testified: “… I was very involved in the Catholic church, and we were going over the different names of the saints. St. Michael’s was where I went to church at. And we heard about this guy from the Hawaiian Islands, Father Damian, that took care of lepers until he finally caught the disease himself and died.” Echols said that was the reason he chose the name and it had “nothing whatsoever” to do with “horror movies, Satanism, cultism, anything of that nature.”

Progress notes at Charter indicated depression and bizarre behavior but that Echols was making progress.

Echols was prescribed Imipramine at 50 mg on June 5, increased to 100 mg on June 12. Psychological testing by Lewis F. Bracy, PhD, on June 8 showed that Damien was depressed and did not trust others but was not psychotic.

The psychological report revealed Echols had a verbal IQ of 101, a thoroughly average score. Bracy’s battery of tests found no evidence of psychosis but the possibility of a thought disorder. “The most prominent finding is that he has a rather strong depression process going on and has real difficulty making contact with people.” The diagnosis: depressive disorder and bipolar disorder.

The assessment of his art produced in the psychological testing could be applied to his current projects: “Damien’s drawings reflect rather impoverished, empty appearing figures. They lack enrichment, color, life and emotion. They appear to be primarily depressive, helpless and in poor contact with reality. … He appears to be a very concretistic person who is arrested in his imaginative function. He would be expected to see things in a rather simplistic, overly constrictive manner.”

Based on a Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Disorder (MMPI) exam, Echols was given preliminary diagnoses of schizophrenia, disorganized type (paranoid and catalytic types also possible) and bipolar disorder, manic.

It was noted: “These persons spend much time in personal fantasy and daydreaming, often with themes of sex or power.”

Dr. Woods’ affidavit from 2001 described Echols’ first trip to Charter in detail, much of which was echoed in trial records:

“Mr. Echols was provisionally diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, single episode and medicated with Imipramine, an anti depressant drug. ... The staff psychiatrist who conducted a mental status exam upon admission described the 17-year old as ‘cooperative and polite’ with ‘an odd stare,’ and flat affect. ... The psychiatrist had ‘major concerns that this young man was exhibiting disturbed, bizarre and unusual thinking.’”

Dr. Woods continued: “Mr. Echols’ delusional thinking was evident throughout his hospitalization. He explained that he had ‘no feelings about suicide’ because he thought he could ‘be reincarnated.’ He indicated to others he thought he possessed special powers. A social worker reported Mr. Echols ‘appeared to be sniffing the air around him as if he were responding to an external stimulus.’ He smiled inappropriately and ‘cut his eyes in one direction or the other, as if he were hearing or thinking of something before he spoke.’ The social worker concluded he was ‘responding to an outside stimulation’ and ‘may have been experiencing auditory hallucinations.’ Visual hallucinations also may have been present. Mr. Echols said he thought the furniture in the psychiatric unit ‘was causing blurred vision.’

“Mr. Echols exhibited ‘a bizarre and unusual manner’ of adjustment to the psychiatric unit that was also reflected in his ‘bizarre and unusual thinking pattern.’ He was ‘preoccupied with witchcraft’ but consistently denied any involvement with satanic worship. He was observed ‘meditating in his room in a bizarre and unusual fashion,’ ‘wrote some very unusual poems,’ and remained on ‘the peripheral of the group throughout’ his hospitalization. He made unusual and bizarre sounds ‘with his mouth that sound[ed] like a cat purr.’ He had ‘trouble making eye contact’ and was ‘quite paranoid.’ He told staff there were ‘survelance [sic] cameras behind his mirror and under his desk’ and cautioned other adolescent patients that staff were ‘constantly watching them.’ The hospital staff observed him sitting and ‘rocking methodically back and forth,’ daydreaming, and staring into space. When interrupted, he appeared startled. He wanted to ‘calm down’ and said he ‘was feeling “jittery’’ internally.’ Hospital staff noted he showed ‘no aggressive behavior’ in the hospital.

“Mr. Echols’ behavior demonstrated ‘a pervasively depressed mood throughout most of his hospitalization.’ He withdrew from family and friends, had a ‘sad facial expression’ and ‘spent long intervals alone.’ He lost interest in eating, had difficulty going to sleep, and planned ways to commit suicide. He repeatedly thought about wrapping the sheet from his bed around his neck and ‘trying to hang’ himself.

“Mr. Echols’ psychiatric care was interrupted by his parents who removed him from the hospital June 25, 1992, and moved to Oregon. His discharge diagnosis was major depression, single episode, dysthymia and psychotic disorder not otherwise specified. He was instructed to continue taking 150 mg. of Imipramine daily.”

Driver was designated to monitor Echols. “Family indicated that they were moving to Denver, Colorado. Prosecuting Attorney was in agreement with Damien leaving State. Not felt to be a danger to himself or to others per doctor.”

Echols apparently did not leave the state until weeks later as he was referred again to Charter on July 24 for a screening. That intake report noted: “Dresses all in black — T-shirt slacks & shoes, Wears small gold cross stud” earring in left ear. “Nails are clean & filed to points.” Damien presented himself as intelligent, generally honest, calm and coherent, expressing mostly his desire to be with his girlfriend. He denied feeling angry or depressed, “but appears depressed — voices apathy — blunt affect.”

Damien admitted to the suicide pact: “It can go either way now.” “Question of satanic involvement” still lingered.

“Extremely dysfunctional family however.”

With Damien diagnosed with major depression, dysthymia and a conduct disorder, the preliminary treatment plan was for a resumption of hospitalization due to suicidal thoughts and a range of other issues. But the case was closed because of his parents’ plans to move.

Woods described Damien’s patterns of continued drug use: “Mr. Echols’s mental illness did not improve after his hospitalization. He remained in excruciating emotional pain, betrayed by his mind and body. The world was an unsafe, unpredictable maze from which he desperately looked for an escape. He finally found relief in his own form of medication. He instinctively turned to inhalants and began ‘huffing’ gasoline; he thought he ‘invented it.’ Later he tried marijuana a few times before his arrest, but it did not become a habit. He also used the medication prescribed for his migraine headaches — Midrin — as a means of tolerating stress and fear of attending school. ... Unable to outrun his terror, he withdrew from school in the ninth grade and tried to insulate himself from the external pressures that contributed to his mental illness.”

Moving to Oregon would provide no relief.