An attempt was made to obtain relevant background history; however, Mr. Brooks was inconsistent in providing information about his past. He confused dates with others, while providing accurate time periods for some events. For example, Mr. Brooks stated that he graduated high school in 2002. However, when asked which high school he attended, he claimed he could not recall the name. Thus, background information was limited as Mr. Brooks appeared to be a poor historian.
Previous medical records served to close the gaps in Mr. Brooks’ mental health history. The defendant appears to hold a lengthy history of mental health concerns where his behavior vacillates between paranoid thoughts and erratic behavior to calm and relatively normal behavior. Factors…show more content… Brooks was diagnosed with ‘psychosis, unspecified’ since at least 2009, where his behavior was described as “bizarre, aggressive; talks to himself a lot; believes he may be hallucinating.” At that time, the defendant participated in biweekly counseling services with Frank E. Michener, M.D. in Alexandria, Virginia. Dr. Michener, a psychiatrist, noted upon initially meeting the defendant, that Mr. Brooks displayed a marked level of paranoia. The defendant described difficulty living in Houston, Texas because “people know what I’ve done, what I was thinking.” He also endorsed hearing voices that distracted him when interacting with others. Dr. Michener prescribed the antipsychotic medications, Abilify and Seroquel. Later, in January 2011, the antidepressant medication, Celexa was added to his medication regimen as symptoms of depression began to prominently characterize his mood. However, Mr. Brooks took the medications sporadically; with long stretches of time where the medications were not taken at all. In this regard, it was difficult to determine the benefit of the psychoactive cocktail. Dr. Michener saw the defendant for the next five years with extended
