August 24, 2009

 

ELMIRA-- The Elmira man accused of stabbing a woman to death in her home in July was in court Monday and could be preparing a psychological defense.
     The victim's family was also in court and tells us they're looking for some closure.
     Lee Doane is accused of fatally stabbing 46-year-old Susan Mitchell to death July 3rd.
     Several motions were filed in Chemung County Court in regards to the murder - but one in particular - a notice of intent to provide psychiatric evidence.
      If the case goes to trial, this gives the defense the option of proving Lee Doane is under serious emotional distress, or even plead insanity.
     Doane is charged with 2nd degree murder.
     Mitchell was found dead with stab wounds in her apartment at 355 East Center St. in Elmira.   
     Joshua Williams, Mitchell's oldest of five kids, says Mitchell called him while he was in jail a week before she was killed asking him about Doane.
     Williams says from what his mother told him, he's sure police have the right killer.
     “She had a lot of fear of this guy.  Like I said, she stands up to her fears. But the last day in question they were both in her apartment, she didn't want him in there. she wouldn't have let him in,” Williams said.
     Doane has outstanding charges of criminal mischief and criminal contempt from separate incidents.
     Williams says at one point, Mitchell even tried to set up Doane to help police arrest him for an unrelated crime he was on the run for and he thinks that could have been a motive for Doane to kill her.
     Doane will be back in court in October after DNA test results are back in.
     At that point they will set up a pretrial hearing.