Palma.21-year-old Juan Manuel Morales, who was arrested by police last Wednesday at his Palma home as he was in the process of taking delivery of 140 kilos of bomb making chemicals and other items and later confessed to police that he had been planning to place pipe bombs (improvised explosive devices) across the Balearics University campus, is to undergo psychiatric and psychological examinations.
Morales could be sentenced to 13 years in jail for possessing explosives and intending to cause havoc, but his defence team want its client to be psychologically examined to establish what his mind set is and that if he shows signs of insanity before the legal process goes any further.
His lawyer said on Sunday that the 21-year-old, who apparently wanted to restage the Colombine massacre in the United States, that many of the threats Morales posted on the his blog and on the internet were escape valves and a way in which he could let off steam. Yesterday, the defense lawyer Agustina Alonso handed over the court-approved forensic institute in Palma an application for official permission for the tests to be carried out.
Alonso claims that if her client does show signs of psychological or psychiatric problems, then it will change their line of defense.
Apparently, Morales, who is on remand in Palma Prison, was calm all weekend and managed to read much of what has been written in the press, some of which, according to the lawyer is not true.
The forensics could take up to two weeks to complete their examination and the reports handed in but, if the findings are serious, the defense could lodge a plea of insanity which would mean that Morales would be sectioned and avoid serving his sentence in Palma Prison.
The case continues.
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