The suspect in last week's racially motivated bus stabbing is seeking an insanity defense. Bloomington resident, Billie Davis, allegedly stabbed an 18-year-old Asian student on Bloomington transit bus 1777, on Jan. 11.
According to a probable cause affidavit, surveillance footage from the bus shows Davis unfolding a pocketknife as the victim stood to exit the bus. As she waited for the doors to open, Davis stood up from her seat and proceeded to stab the victim on top of the head about seven times.
Related: [UPDATE: Wednesday stabbing victim identified as IU student]
According to The Herald Times, the public defender representing Davis, Kyle Dugger, is seeking an insanity defense for his client. Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Darcie Fawcett will schedule a competency hearing and select experts to determine Davis’s mental state.
According to the article, Davis’s son spoke out this past week and expressed his grief with the victim and shared in the public rage. He said his mother suffers from severe mental illness. Davis has been charged criminally in the past, but details on those charges were not immediately available.
The City Council of Bloomington issued a statement on Jan. 18, where they condemned the racist attack. In the statement released they stated, “We condemn this crime unequivocally.”
According to Brennan Center for Justice, Indiana is one of five states that does not have laws in place to protect against hate crimes. However, on May 6, 2020, the city of Bloomington unanimously adopted Common Council Resolution 20-06, "Denouncing and Condemning White Nationalism and White Supremacy."
Related: [Resources available for Asian American and Pacific Islander students, community members]
“We affirm our support for the Asian and Asian-American community here, and for all persons of color,” the Jan. 18 statement said. “We are determined to lead with integrity and to do all we can as elected officials to ensure that Bloomington truly reflects the diversity, equity, and inclusiveness that we value so deeply.”
