Cayer murder trial enters mental fitness phase

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) – Phase two of the Jacob Cayer murder trial commences Thursday in Brown County. Jurors will decide whether Cayer was responsible for his actions, or if he lacked the mental capacity to understand what he was doing was wrong.

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Jacob Cayer testifies at his murder trial.

On Wednesday, the jury found Cayer guilty of two counts of 1st Degree Intentional Homicide, Attempted Homicide, Burglary and Bail Jumping.

It took about an hour for jurors to reach an unanimous verdict and convict Cayer of killing ex-girlfriend Sabrina Teague, 25, and her mother Heesun “Sunny” Teague. Cayer was also convicted of trying to kill Sabrina’s boyfriend, Joel Kennedy.

#JacobCayerMurderTrial continues this morning. The jury found Cayer guilty of all 6 counts yesterday so we move onto the second phase of the trial where jury will decide if Cayer is ‘responsible for criminal conduct.’

— Brittany Schmidt (@BritSchmidtNews) August 13, 2020

Three days of testimony described a bloody and violent crime scene during the June 7, 2016 attack in Hobart.

The case was delayed numerous times over the years as Cayer was in-and-out of competency. At one point, he pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. Under Wisconsin law, that requires a two-phase trial in which a jury must consider Cayer’s mental state and his ability to “appreciate the wrongfulness of the conduct.”

Cayer testified Wednesday that he did not kill the Teagues, but he had no memory of what happened that night at their home. The jury disagreed and found him guilty.

#JacobCayerMurderTrial Under WI law, a person is not responsible for criminal conduct if at the time the crime was committed the person had a mental disease or defect and as a result, lacked substantial capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of the conduct, so jury will decide.

— Brittany Schmidt (@BritSchmidtNews) August 13, 2020

#JacobCayerMurderTrial NOTE: before trial, Cayer had 6 competency hearings. Medical professionals testified at those hearings, where one said they did not believe Cayer understood the gravity of his actions.Judge Hock sent Cayer to a mental health facility for months before trial

— Brittany Schmidt (@BritSchmidtNews) August 13, 2020

A doctor will testify Thursday.

#JacobCayerMurderTrial A doctor will be testifying today virtually because he could not make it to trial in person.

— Brittany Schmidt (@BritSchmidtNews) August 13, 2020

Cayer elected to not take part in the second phase of the trial and will not appear in court.

#JacobCayerMurderTrial Judge Hock says that Cayer has elected not to be transported to today’s hearing, therefore he has chosen not to appear or participate in phase 2 of the trial. Jury doesn’t know that yet.

— Brittany Schmidt (@BritSchmidtNews) August 13, 2020

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