Taylor Schabusiness appears in spit mask as she’s sentenced: update

Meth use can lead to violent behaviour, he says.

The more meth an individual uses, the more violent someone can become, he confirms.

Schabusiness’ defence also called pharmacist Dr James O’Donnell to the stand. The doctor said that Schabusiness had likely suffered a drug-induced psychosis after taking “51 hits of methamphetamines.”

Mr O’Donell highlighted that the phrasing often referred to smoking, but that Schabusiness had also injected herself with meth. He said that while he wasn’t sure how many grams of meth 51 hits are, the quantity seem extremely large.

“I’ve never heard of that much methamphetamine use,” Mr O’Donnell said, noting that Schabusiness had built resistance after using meth and marijuana nearly every day. “The chronic use caused constant daily injuries to the brain function and chemistry ... even without continued use, there is already chronic damage”

During cross-examination, prosecutors said that Dr O’Donnnell had not witnessed the “51 hits of methamphetamines” and that Schabusiness had been the one to relay that information.

The court will be back in 15 minutes.

“I forgive you for what you did to my son,” Mr Thyrion said. “I’m going to miss Shad. I’m going to ask the judge if you can see the streets sometimes, it might not be soon. Everybody makes bad choices, maybe not to this degree.”

“I think there is a lot of hope for you, and I think you can use your time to be a better person and do good things. I know you got a heart, I wish you no harm and I hope things go well for you.”

Prosecutors commended Mr Thyrion’s attitude, noting that his son’s murder was one of the “most egregious and incomprehensible” methods of ending someone’s life.

“This was not just one bad choice but continued bad choices throughout the night and the next day when she was finally arrested,” prosecutors said. “We saw her calmly describe what she engaged in ... at times even smirking. She told law enforcement that it happened because she liked it, it happened because she wanted to do it.”

Meanwhile, Thyrion’s uncle Kelly Thyrion said in her victim impact statement that he hopes Schabusiness faces the same fate as serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, who was beaten to death in prison.

“I don’t see no reason why you should have parole,” he told her. “You did the most cowardly, wicked thing possible ... After Judge Walsh sentences you today, I will pray that you meet the same fate as your idol Jeffrey Dahmer. So have a great life S***business.”

Schabusiness’ attorney said that her client had a long history of substance abuse, which had ultimately triggered her violent actions on the night that she killed Shad Thyrion.

The attorney said that she had started smoking marijuana at age 14 and then went on to use cocaine, meth, crack and other hard drugs.

“I think it would be a tragedy to give her life in prison without the possibility of parole,” he said. “I don’t think my client liked doing this or wanted to do it. I don’t think she could fathom what she did.”

When asked by Judge Thomas Walsh if she had anything to tell the court before he handed down her sentence, Schabusiness only uttered two words: “There isn’t.”

Judge Walsh slammed a written statement by Schabusiness’ father, in which he argued that “the system” had failed his daughter.

“It’s not the system’s job to raise people’s children. Our fight against methamphetamines is not perfect but we carry on,” Judge Walsh said. “To suggest that it is somehow the system that failed ... it disturbed me when I read that piece. It really starts in the home. I’m convinced that it’s no one’s fault where they came from, but it is their responsibility where they go from there.”

Taylor Schabusiness has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the gruesome murder of her lover last year.

The convicted murderer was brought into the courtroom wearing an anti-spitting hood, following previous episodes in court in which she became violent towards her own counsel. When asked by Judge Thomas Walsh if she had anything to tell the court before he handed down her sentence, Schabusiness only uttered two words: “There isn’t.”

Judge Walsh slammed a written statement by Schabusiness’ father, in which he argued that “the system” had failed his daughter. The judge said that while he sympathised with Schabusiness’ struggles, her heinous actions and unpredictable behaviour warranted her to be imprisoned for life.

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