Insanity Argued in Killing of 5 Pedestrians

Lawyers for murder defendant Davis Attias focused on the 20-year-old’s mental history in kicking off the defense portion of his trial for allegedly running down and killing five pedestrians with his car in Isla Vista.

Defense attorneys say the former UC Santa Barbara freshman was insane when he allegedly ran down the pedestrians in February 2001. Attias is charged with nine felony counts of murder, manslaughter and driving under the influence of drugs with great bodily injury.

If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison.