Psychiatrist says he didn't change his evaluation
By Carlos Illescas
The Denver Post
POSTED: 03/16/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT
CENTENNIAL — Two psychiatrists at the state mental hospital testified Monday that Matthew James Watkins pretended he had lost contact with reality when they evaluated him after he allegedly stabbed his wife to death.
"Mr. Watkins can be a nice guy, but looking at his psycho-evaluations, we couldn't believe what he was saying," said Dr. Graham Hoffman.
Hoffman's testimony came on the fifth day of Watkins' trial in Arapahoe District Court. Watkins is charged with first-degree murder after deliberation in the death of his wife, Cora, at their Aurora home in January 2008.
Watkins, according to investigators, admitted he killed his wife after the couple had an argument.
His defense attorneys have argued that Watkins was not competent to stand trial, but the state mental hospital found otherwise.
Public defender Jennifer Ahnstedt on Monday requested a mistrial, saying Hoffman changed his story and that the prosecution failed to bring that point to the defense's attention.
In a telephone interview with Ahnstedt in January, Hoffman told her Watkins acted more "impulsive" rather than deliberate when he killed his wife.
However, in a phone call about 10 days before the trial, Hoffman told prosecutor Dan Plattner that Watkins' actions were deliberate and that he planned to say that under oath.
But Hoffman said he didn't change his story. He brushed off his telephone conversation with Watkins' defense team, saying his comments were just "palaver."
"He was an impulsive fellow, but I thought he acted with deliberation," Hoffman said of Watkins.
District Judge Michael Spear ruled there were no grounds for a mistrial.
Watkins is accused of stabbing his wife several times with multiple weapons as their two young children were home. The case is expected to go to the jury within the next day or two.
Carlos Illescas: 303-954-1175 or cillescas@denverpost.com
Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14681773#ixzz0iLAlt246
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