The first degree murder bench trial of Thomas Bibler resumed Tuesday in Plymouth County District Court at Le Mars.
Bibler is accused of fatally stabbing his sister, Shannon Bogh, in June of 2016.
Bibler’s defense attorneys asked Judge Jeffrey Neary for an acquittal of the trial saying the State had not proved their case that Thomas Bibler actually caused the death of his sister.
Judge Neary denied the request.
The Defense then called a psychologist, Dr. Angela Stokes, to the witness stand.
Dr. Stokes says she felt Bibler understood the charges against him and was competent to take part in his own defense.
She says Bibler did have some cognitive impairment though:
OC…….well documented. ;20
Dr. Stokes testified that she believed the drug Ambien, prescribed to Bibler, may have caused him to have amnesia and not recall the incident involving the fatal stabbing of his sister:
OC……..his medication. ;22
Ambien is usually prescribed as a treatment for insomnia and anxiety.
Stokes says often times when people take Ambien they will then fall asleep, and not have any memory of what they were doing earlier.
Le Mars Police said when they executed their search warrant, they had found Bibler asleep.
