Prosecutors challenged a defense mental health expert in a motions hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on April 3.
Spiro Stafilatos, 38, is charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault knowingly grave risk while armed, and fleeing law enforcement, for his alleged involvement in a Dec. 30, 2022, hit-and-run incident. The accident occurred on the 1400 block of New York Avenue, NW, and resulted in the death of 31-year-old Shuyu Sui and severe injury to another individual.
At the hearing, parties discussed an expert in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that Stafilatos’ attorney, Brian McDaniel, plans to call to testify during the trial.
According to McDaniel, in 2021, Stafilatos was diagnosed by a social worker with PTSD after he was reportedly beaten by police officers at the Montgomery County Jail.
McDaniel said Stafilatos was then transferred to the care of a nurse practitioner who administered his medication. The nurse practitioner is not a medical doctor nor does she have a PhD credential, which is why prosecutors are challenging her expertise.
Prosecutors asked for the expert to testify before the trial in order to see if she qualified to make the determination. They said she cannot be solely relied upon about the evidence, if she was not the one who diagnosed Stafilatos with PTSD.
McDaniel told prosecutors that the medical records the defense has only reference the treatment from the nurse practitioner. He told the judge that he has tried to subpoena all of the records, but he has not received them.
Judge Brandt told him that, “the plot thickens Mr. McDaniel.”
Parties are slated to reconvene on April 9 for testimony from the nurse practitioner.
