Jury deliberations continue in the case of Christopher McCullough, 31, who is charged with the murder of his 75-year-old mother following an assault that also left his father hospitalized. According to CBS17, the jury reconvened today to decide whether McCullough is guilty of first-degree murder, a charge his defense contests due to his drug-influenced state and lack of intent to kill.
During the trial, McCullough testified, admitting to striking his father in a dispute over being asked to leave the family's Raleigh home, claiming he heard voices and needed money for gas. Despite these admissions, McCullough denied causing harm to his mother, with his defense stating, "His intention, he testified, was never to kill Mary. He didn’t want to kill Mary, he loved Mary." However, Assistant DA Melanie Shekita countered that McCullough should not be able to "hide behind this crutch of I’m high, I’ve been high since 2015," as reported by CBS17.
The prosecution highlighted the severity of the attack on McCullough’s mother, who was found with a life-threatening head injury. Assistant DA Shekita emphasized to the court the vulnerability of the victim, "She could hardly sustain without walking around that oxygen that’s around her neck," as detailed by ABC11. The graveness of the assault and the prior restraining order against Christopher McCullough add complexity to the charges, which include first-degree murder, attempted murder, felony second-degree kidnapping, assault and misdemeanor domestic violence protective order violation.
Defense attorney Richard Elmore argued that McCullough did not intentionally kill his mother, stating, "Chris did not intentionally kill Mary," and describing the escalation with his father as a fight-or-flight response, according to information obtained from WRAL. As the jury deliberates, they are tasked with piecing together a timeline marred by drug use, domestic strife, and a defendant with a troubled past including 17 prior arrests.
The jury's verdict will bring closure to a trial that has presented a tragic family dispute with fatal consequences. Detective Sean Brady recounted finding both of McCullough’s parents unresponsive and revealed the additional heart-wrenching detail that "McCullough’s son witnessed the attack before the boy was dropped off with his mother," according to WRAL. McCullough's defense suggests a narrative of a son in the throes of addiction and confusion, while prosecutors paint a picture of a man whose actions were deliberate and deadly.
