LIVE COVERAGE: Final witness says Mark Becker not legally insane during shooting

A Des Moines psychiatrist testified Tuesday that Mark Becker's delusions and hallucinations caused by his paranoid schizophrenia didn't interfere with his thoughts the day he shot and killed Aplington-Parkersburg football coach Ed Thomas.

Dr. Michael Taylor, a rebuttal witness for the state, said that many of the actions Becker took on June 24 - from deciding not to kill the Thomas family to his decision to hide his gun - showed Becker could reason and that he knew the shooting was wrong.

He did have the sufficient mental capacity to know and understand the nature and quality for his acts, Taylor said. He did have the sufficient mental capacity to know the difference between right and wrong, as it pertained to the shooting of Thomas, he said.

The testimony in the two-week, first-degree murder trial wrapped up Tuesday. Closing arguments will begin at 9 a.m. today in Butler County District Court.

Becker, 24, is accused of shooting and killing Thomas while the coach worked with students in the temporary high school weight room.

Becker's attorneys are attempting to prove Becker is not guilty by reason of insanity.

Two expert witnesses for the defense testified Monday, saying Becker was legally insane at the time of the shooting. A rebuttal expert for the prosecution argued that Becker understood the nature and quality of the act and could distinguish between right and wrong.

Taylor said Becker first told him he had thought about killing the coach's family but then decided against that. He made a conscious decision not to, Taylor said.

Becker decided to change his clothes before doing the shooting. He put on coveralls, so a gun could easily fit in his pocket and the outfit would allow him to conceal the weapon, Taylor said.

Becker also was able to reason that he needed to take some practice shots with his gun, Taylor said. He fired some shots at bird house in the yard. He was thorough, Taylor said. He wanted to make sure the gun worked.

Taylor noted that Becker told Dr. Phillip Resnick, a psychiatrist who testified for the defense on Monday, he was concerned about driving while searching for Thomas because he didn't have a driver's license and was also driving with a gun. He made the conscious effort to leave the gun in the car when he stopped to talk to a custodian at the school, Taylor said.

He was calm and rational when he talked to those people that day while looking for coach Thomas, Taylor said. He made small talk with the custodian. He was organized in his thinking.

Taylor said Becker told him the voices in his head had stopped by the time he drove up to the weight room. Becker was angry at Thomas because of the voices in his head and believe Thomas was the source, he said.

Taylor said in determining if Becker knew right from wrong, he also asked him what he would have done if there had been a police officer at the school when he drove up. Becker told him he would have put his gun in his pocket and drove home.

He knew it was wrong, Taylor said.

Gazette Reporter Trish Mehaffey continued her liveblog from the Butler County District Court room today. Replay her live coverage below.

A Des Moines psychiatrist testified Tuesday that Mark Becker's delusions and hallucinations caused by his paranoid schizophrenia didn't interfere with his thoughts the day he shot and killed Aplington-Parkersburg football coach Ed Thomas.

Dr. Michael Taylor, a rebuttal witness for the state, said that many of the actions Becker took on June 24 - from deciding not to kill the Thomas family to his decision to hide his gun - showed Becker could reason and that he knew the shooting was wrong.

He did have the sufficient mental capacity to know and understand the nature and quality for his acts, Taylor said. He did have the sufficient mental capacity to know the difference between right and wrong, as it pertained to the shooting of Thomas, he said.

The testimony in the two-week, first-degree murder trial wrapped up Tuesday. Closing arguments will begin at 9 a.m. today in Butler County District Court.

Becker, 24, is accused of shooting and killing Thomas while the coach worked with students in the temporary high school weight room.

Becker's attorneys are attempting to prove Becker is not guilty by reason of insanity.

Two expert witnesses for the defense testified Monday, saying Becker was legally insane at the time of the shooting. A rebuttal expert for the prosecution argued that Becker understood the nature and quality of the act and could distinguish between right and wrong.

Taylor said Becker first told him he had thought about killing the coach's family but then decided against that. He made a conscious decision not to, Taylor said.

Becker decided to change his clothes before doing the shooting. He put on coveralls, so a gun could easily fit in his pocket and the outfit would allow him to conceal the weapon, Taylor said.

Becker also was able to reason that he needed to take some practice shots with his gun, Taylor said. He fired some shots at bird house in the yard. He was thorough, Taylor said. He wanted to make sure the gun worked.

Taylor noted that Becker told Dr. Phillip Resnick, a psychiatrist who testified for the defense on Monday, he was concerned about driving while searching for Thomas because he didn't have a driver's license and was also driving with a gun. He made the conscious effort to leave the gun in the car when he stopped to talk to a custodian at the school, Taylor said.

He was calm and rational when he talked to those people that day while looking for coach Thomas, Taylor said. He made small talk with the custodian. He was organized in his thinking.

Taylor said Becker told him the voices in his head had stopped by the time he drove up to the weight room. Becker was angry at Thomas because of the voices in his head and believe Thomas was the source, he said.

Taylor said in determining if Becker knew right from wrong, he also asked him what he would have done if there had been a police officer at the school when he drove up. Becker told him he would have put his gun in his pocket and drove home.

He knew it was wrong, Taylor said.