Miami-Dade Criminal Defense Attorneys Stuned after Successful Insanity Defense

After 5 hours of deliberations a Miami-Dade jury came back with a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity verdict. Defendant Lavenston Horne Horne was charged with shooting and killing both of his parents as his father was fixing dinner on July 8th, 1996. Lavenston also shot his sister multiple times when she walked into the room. Lavenston’s sister, Inga, survived and testified that a few weeks before the murders, her brother came to her and told her that he was hearing voices that were telling him to do bad things.

After Lavenston fired on both of his parents he is reported to have stood over his mother and shouted “Who’s the king now?”

After Lavenston was arrested, he told the officers that his father “went crazy” and shot his mother and sister, and then turned the gun on himself.

Prosecutor David Waksman, a 34-year veteran who has won two other insanity cases and dozens of murder cases, certainly expected to convict Horne.

Many Defense Lawyers agreed that this would be a tough case to use the Insanity Defense; this was based largely on Lavenson’s statements as well as other damaging evidence.

Check out the Miami Herald for the full more information.