A Rankin County teenager accused of killing her mother and trying to kill her stepfather is planning to plead insanity, according to her attorneys.
On Wednesday, a one-page notice of intent on the defense of sanity was filed on behalf of Gregg before her upcoming murder trial. The move came after Gregg rejected a plea deal earlier in the week that would have included 40 years in prison.
On March 19, Gregg was arrested for allegedly shooting and killing her teacher mother, Ashley Smylie, inside their Brandon home. According to the prosecution, Gregg then invited her friend over and asked her if she had ever seen a dead body before the friend fled the scene.
When Gregg’s stepfather, Heath Smylie, arrived at the home from work, Gregg is said to have shot him in the shoulder before he wrestled the gun away. The 14-year-old fled and was later captured in a field near the family’s home.
Gregg has since been housed at the Rankin County Adult Detention Center, although her attorneys have unsuccessfully argued that she should be moved to a youth facility. Her representation has also vouched that a switch in medications before the shooting and other mental health conditions are the rationale for her alleged actions on the deadly day.
The murder trial of Gregg will begin on Sept. 16. Results from her mental evaluation, which was scheduled for Thursday, have not yet been made public.
