Man suspected of killing mother claims hearing voices, arraignment postponed
The man accused in the Palm Springs shooting death of his mother was expected to be arraigned Wednesday but it has now been delayed as prosecutors claim he is not medically cleared for court.
Brian Conroy, 19, is charged with shooting his mother, Amber Lane, who was shot Monday on the 4100 block of Calle San Antonio at 4:25 a.m. Lane died about two hours later at Desert Regional Medical Center.
Read: Police arrest son of victim in fatal Palm Springs shooting
According to family members, Conroy was in a medical facility on Wednesday.
Prosecutors said that Conroy claims “voices commanded” him to commit the killing, therefore postponing his arraignment for Monday, Nov. 27.
Deputy District Attorney Scot Clark sought to have Conroy’s $1 million bail increased after presenting concerns that he could be a danger to others.
Clark said Conroy claimed to suffer from auditory hallucinations, with voices commanding him to shoot Lane. The prosecutor said Conroy claimed that “he’s not able to control his impulses,” leading Clark to call for a bail increase in concern for public safety.
Palm Springs police have not commented on a motive for the killing. Deputy Public Defender Laura Garcia, who appeared on Conroy’s behalf, said she’d received no evidence from prosecutors to support Clark’s claims.
Riverside County Superior Court Judge Harold W. Hopp ruled that Conroy’s bail will remain at $1 million, but said the prosecution’s request for an increase would be revisited Monday morning.
Read: Tribute planned for Palm Springs mother allegedly killed by teen son
Conroy is charged with murder and a sentence-enhancing allegation for discharging a firearm. He has no prior criminal record in Riverside County.
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