Markeith Loyd to claim insanity in killing of Orlando police officer, lawyers say
ORLANDO, Fla. - A man accused of killing an Orlando police officer in 2017 will use the insanity defense in his upcoming trial, his lawyers said in a court filing.
Markeith Loyd, 44, is scheduled to stand trial in May for the Jan. 9, 2017, death of Lt. Debra Clayton as she tried to arrest him for killing his pregnant ex-girlfriend Sade Dixon a month earlier.
“(Loyd) suffered from a mental infirmity, disease or defect and because of this condition did not know what he was doing or its consequences or although he knew what he was doing and its consequences he did not know it was wrong,” defense attorney Terence Lenamon wrote in the court document.
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The burden of proving by “clear and convincing” evidence that Loyd was insane when he killed Clayton falls on the defense under Florida law. They also have to prove that because of his condition, he either didn’t know what he was doing, or didn’t know it was wrong.
In 2019, jurors found Loyd guilty of first-degree murder in Dixon’s death aPostnd he was sentenced to life in prison.
Loyd testified during the trial that he was in “warrior mode” when he shot Dixon during a fight outside her house, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
Defense experts testified during the trial that Loyd suffered from mental illnesses, including a delusional disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.