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A jury of four women and eight men convicted Tajhea Nyree Shuler of four counts late Monday night in the stabbing of a clerk at the Quick Mart in Loyalsock Township that occurred Sunday, May 17, 2020.
Prosecuting assistant district attorney Martin Wade had argued that Shuler intentionally committed the stabbing after being asked to leave the Quick Mart by clerk Amanda Perillo in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shuler was dressed unusually for the warm weather, donning double layers and concealing a large kitchen knife, according to Wade.
After making multiple laps around the store, Perillo asked Shuler several times if he needed help before he began to argue with her over her lack of a face mask.
Shuler then looked over his shoulder to gauge the distance of another shopper and his daughter before stabbing Perillo in the neck with the blade exiting the other side, Wade argued.
Shuler fled on foot, attempting to hide the top layer of clothing at his aunt's house, where police later found the majority of the outfit.
When stopped by nearby police, Shuler was agitated, stating that he was "Jesus," and that he "knows how police are."
Forensic tests would later show that his jeans contained the blood of the victim.
The attack was also caught on store surveillance cameras.
A Forensic Psychiatrist testified that Shuler was only under a drug-induced psychosis due to his simultaneous usage of bath salts and marijuana, and therefore not legally insane, the prosecution argued.
Wade further pointed out that Shuler displayed clear signs that he knew he had committed a crime, including fleeing the scene and attempting to conceal evidence.
Defense counsel Howard Gold did not contest that the attack took place or that his client was responsible.
Rather, Gold argued that the incident was a result of a psychotic break, relating that Shuler had had several more psychotic breaks since his arrest and release, including one in which his aunt had him involuntarily committed to the Behavioral Health Unit at Divine Providence Hospital.
Gold stressed that for these occurrences to be drug-induced, Shuler would have needed to use such drugs while incarcerated and under close supervision.
Gold further stated that no test was ever done to determine if Shuler had been using bath salts, and that his client had tested negative for THC in the weeks following the stabbing.
A mental health expert called by the defense backed up these claims.
Many mental health experts had interviewed and examined Shuler, with none concluding that Shuler's psychosis was drug induced, the defense argued, also stressing that the expert for the prosecution had not interviewed Shuler until more than two years after the incident.
In closing, Gold called it a single-issue case, but a complex one.
Gold implored the jury to give great weight to the expert testimony in determining Shuler's mental state at the time of the stabbing.
Gold also explained that it was not often that he had the burden of proof as a defense attorney, but in this case the burden was on him to convince the jury that it was "more likely than not" that the attack was the result of a psychotic break, and not a criminal act.
The jury was largely unmoved by the insanity defense, finding Shuler guilty of felony one aggravated assault, misdemeanor two simple assault, and misdemeanor two recklessly endangering another person.
Shuler was found guilty of felony two aggravated assault, with the jury finding this the result of insanity.
Shuler's sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 9.