Judge will weigh allowing Jason Mark Carter to leave mental facility

The duty shall fall to a 10th circuit judge from Anderson to decide whether Jason Mark Carter leaves the state mental health facilities for what’s called a community residential care facility.  However, the circuit solicitor and relatives of Carter’s murdered parents are adamant that allowing Carter to move to what Solicitor Wagner likens to a half-way house bodes danger to the family and, possibly, the general public.  Carter was the young man who, having been found not guilty by reason of insanity several years ago, has been treated by the state Mental Health Department.  Carter’s mother, Debbie Perkins and his stepfather, Kevin Perkins, were the victims of bludgeoning homicides, and some of the particulars of what was found at the crime scene home near Seneca were laid out this afternoon in, at times, graphic detail, by a psychiatrist testifying for the state.  However, a second psychiatrist, a state mental health doctor, told the court Carter is at the point where he can no longer benefit from what’s offered by the mental health department.  And, said, Dr. Michael Cross, there has been improvement in Carter’s position.  A major focus during today’s one and a half hour Oconee Courthouse hearing was whether Carter has any kind of “insight” as to what happened to his parents.  His lack of acknowledgement that he was responsible is troubling to Solicitor David Wagner, as well as to psychiatrist Dr. Donna Schwartz Maddox, who testified as the state’s only witness.  Judge McIntosh is promising a decision, likely, no later than Friday next week.  In the meantime, the judge wants to read written reports of doctors who’ve examined Carter, along with reading the statute of state law applicable to this case.  McIntosh admitted that, in his time as circuit judge, he has had little experience with such cases.