Therefore, since Eric’s mother shared information about him showing symptoms of schizophrenia before the crime took place, it was easier for him to plead guilty by reason of insanity. In the early 2000s, people had a lack of understanding of people with mental disorders. This affected how people with mental illnesses were seen or treated. According to the article “High Court Reviews Insanity-Defense Case”, it mentions “Over the next year and a half, his increasingly desperate parents watched him deteriorate into more and more bizarre behavior. He looked like a homeless person, refused to bathe or to cut his hair, wore layers of clothes, refused to eat food unless he bought it, and could break the seal on the container.”. Due to the lack of knowledge about mental health in the 2000s, many people would not be able to wrap their heads around this behavior. Therefore, because of this, there was a lack of support, meaning Eric didn’t receive the help he needed during his mental health crisis. There were other factors that contributed to his sentencing by the court, however these are the main ones that influenced his