Jury has to decide if Shannon Gilday was mentally ill at time of fatal KY shooting
A jury is out to decide whether Shannon Gilday’s mental state at the time of a deadly 2022 home invasion will impact any potential punishment he could face.
Shannon Gilday, 27, is charged with invading a mansion in Richmond before shooting and killing lawyer Jordan Morgan. The home belonged to Morgan’s father, C. Wesley Morgan, a businessman and former lawmaker, and it featured a massive survival bunker underneath.
Depending on the verdict, Gilday could face the death penalty or be committed for mental treatment.
During closing arguments Thursday morning, Gilday’s attorney, Kim Green, implored the jury to find Gilday not guilty by reason of insanity, saying he was in an active state of psychosis before, during and after the shooting.
Green quoted a psychiatrist who said not only was Gilday mentally ill, but that his case was “one that the (not guilty by reason of insanity verdict) was created for.”
Jurors heard from several experts about Gilday’s mental state before, during and after the shooting.
At least three psychiatrists testified that Gilday was in active psychosis when he entered the Morgan home in efforts to access a bunker out of fear for nuclear war. All agreed he was mentally ill, though some said he was still aware that was he was doing was illegal.
But special prosecutors say that Gilday planned the attack for weeks, and should be held fully accountable for Morgan’s death caused by more than 25 gunshot wounds that left her to bleed out.
“They want you to buy that story of not guilty by reason of insanity,” said prosecutor Todd Willard. “But I will use the last words of Jordan Morgan: ‘Please don’t.’”
Prosecutors: Gilday knew his actions were criminal
Willard told jurors they believed Gilday is mentally ill, but that it wasn’t an excuse to kill Morgan, and shoot three other Morgan family members.
Instead, prosecutors said the insanity claim was made as part of Gilday’s attempts to continue to avoid responsibility. Willard said the defense was “grasping at straws.”
Throughout his closing statements Thursday, Willard said Gilday was aware that his actions were illegal and pointed out inconsistencies in other testimony to suggest Gilday could not be held criminally liable.
Under the definition of not guilty by reason of insanity, in order for someone to be convicted, a defendant has to be aware their actions are wrong and illegal. A component of this standard was whether they attempted to conceal their actions or evade police. Prosecutors said Gilday did both of those things.
Willard gave several examples, including that Gilday fled the home when Morgan called 911, he left the state, concealed evidence when he replaced his license plates, and killed Jordan Morgan to avoid detection.
In his police interview, Gilday said the reason he shot Jordan Morgan was because he was worried she would call police after he went downstairs to confront the other Morgan family members.
“Mental illness did not kill Jordan Morgan,” Willard said. “This defendant did with a gun. He knew his actions were criminal.”
Defense: Gilday was insane at the time of killing
Defense attorneys said Gilday knew what he was doing was morally wrong, but that the voices in his head — caused by an episode of psychosis — “overrode his will” to stop his actions.
During her closing statements, Green implored a jury to find Gilday not reason by reason of insanity, saying he needed continued treatment for his poor mental health.
“The thoughts grew out beyond (Gilday’s) brain and mind, and grabbed the Morgan family,” Green said.
All of Gilday’s actions were driven by a psychotic break that Gilday experienced, in which he believed the FBI or CIA was telling him to access a bunker to protect himself and his family from an imminent nuclear war, his defense team argues.
Testimony from the trial highlighted that Gilday’s mental health began to decline month’s before the shooting. Friends and family said when Gilday returned home after leaving college and getting kicked out of the Army, he was never the same. They described him as paranoid, anxious and socially withdrawn.
Green highlighted instances throughout February 2022, days before the shooting, that showed Gilday was rapidly reaching a breaking point.
He checked out book at the library about water purification and air filtration, Googled whether he could tow an excavator with a Corolla, and searched nuke maps. All the while, Gilday said he was getting messages from the FBI through music to access the bunker at all costs.
Green told jurors that it was “not their job to make people whole again” when determining a verdict.
“You can’t bring Jordan back,” she said. “The law is not asking you to make anyone whole.”
Jurors went out for deliberation around noon Thursday.
