In a recent motion filed in Douglas County District Court, the defense team of Nikko Jenkins is urging the judge to expedite their request for $50,000 to conduct a study of their client’s mental health and challenge his death sentence. The attorneys claim that Jenkins’ mental health is deteriorating rapidly, citing incidents such as him attempting to remove what he believed was a tumor by cutting his own neck open.
Jenkins, who gained infamy over a decade ago when he committed four murders in a span of 10 days after being released from prison, has been sentenced to death by a three-judge panel. However, his attorneys argue that an experienced mitigation expert is needed to assess Jenkins’ current mental state and provide recommendations.
In the past, funding was allocated to research Jenkins’ upbringing but that money has since run out. Jenkins has a history of mental health issues starting at a young age when he brought a loaded gun to school at seven years old. His behavior escalated over the years with incidents of self-harm and claims of hearing voices commanding him to kill. Despite conflicting expert opinions on Jenkins’ mental competency in 2017, the judge ultimately decided on the death sentence based on one psychologist’s assessment that Jenkins was feigning mental illness and knew right from wrong.
The families of Jenkins’ victims have expressed frustration with the request for further funding, with one mother describing him as “pure evil” and believing that no amount of study or treatment can change who he is. A hearing on the motion for funding has been scheduled for July by Douglas County District Court Judge Peter Bataillon. However, Jenkins’ attorney insists that immediate action is necessary to ensure his due process rights are upheld while the families of the victims remain skeptical of the motives behind the request.
