FRESNO (KMJ) — The man alleged to be responsible for the deaths of four people, three in a shooting spree in Downtown Fresno, has been described as knowing how to work the system to better portray mental illness.
Inside Fresno County Superior Court Thursday morning, forensic psychologist Dr. John Meloy detailed that his observations of Kori Ali Muhammad (both in person and listening to jail calls) established that he was managing his schizophrenia.
“I think these symptoms are real, but he knows the shrink talk. He knows how to communicate to a psychologist or psychiatrist when he’s being interviewed because he knows what the psychologist or psychiatrist is looking for.
“He has had a lot of experience in mental health units, and has learned when and to whom to talk about delusions and hallucinations and he knows how this will either alter or sustain the impression that he wants to leave on the doctor.”
Dr. Meloy said that it proves Muhammad is retaining control.
“You can’t do that if your mental illness is out of control. You have to be able to, in a sense, call up the symptom and talk about it with the doctor.”
It comes after a senior investigator with Fresno County District Attorney’s Office told the court that Muhammad did not consider the death penalty a reality (click here to read more).
The competency trial continues inside Fresno County Superior Court.
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:.
