GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Murder charges against a Gwinnett County teenager accused of killing his own mother may stick, even without a cause of death.
Channel 2's Tony Thomas was the only reporter in court Tuesday as the teen insisted he didn’t remember a lot of what happened.
Patrick Gibson, 15, said he blacked out. Police say the teen admitted to choking his mother to death, but experts admit they found no bruises or other telltale signs of strangulation.
Gibson is charged with murder, but so far, the medical examiner’s office has only listed the cause of death as "undetermined."
“His dad asked him, ‘Patrick, what happened? Did you really hurt your mom?’ At that point, he said he blacked out and the next thing he knew, his hands were around her throat,” Detective Larry Williams testified Tuesday.
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Thomas said Gibson appeared a little dazed as he listened to lawyers and a detective talk about what happened the night his mother was killed.
“He also made statements that his mom pushed (him) too far,” Williams said.
The teen reportedly admitted to killing his mother, Faith Haynes, after the two argued over him taking some medications on Jan. 31.
Gibson had just been returned to his mother after living in state custody for a while. His family said he has Asperger’s Syndrome and other issues.
“He asked me if he was going to be charged with murder and if he was going to get the death penalty,” Williams said.
Gibson's attorney, LeAnne Chancey, believes his mental condition "caused the incident."
“I don't believe there is any evidence he intended to hurt his mother,” Chancey said.
Also in question is the actual cause and manner of death.
The Gwinnett County Medical Examiner’s Office lists the cause as "undetermined."
An investigator told Thomas that they are waiting on blood and drug test results, which could take weeks.
Several members of the family were in court for the hearing Tuesday, but didn't want to comment.
The defense asked for involuntary manslaughter charges instead, but the judge bound the teenager over for murder and aggravated assault.