PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — After about 12 hours of deliberations, a Polk County jury found a Port Charlotte teenager not guilty of murdering his mother last September.
WATCH AS HIS GRANDPARENTS SPEAK ABOUT WHAT LED UP TO THAT TRAGIC DAY:
The jury said Collin Griffith, 17, was not guilty of all charges related to the death of his mother, Catherine Griffith.
The case started in September when Catherine died from a stab wound in Auburndale. It was her son who called 911, telling dispatchers that his mother had fallen on a knife. The state prosecutor attempted to disprove that claim in court.
"He has painted a picture that his mom lunged at him with a knife, tripped, and somehow fell on the knife. That’s preposterous," the prosecutor said.
Before moving in with his mother, Collin had also killed his father in Oklahoma, a case that was ruled self-defense. His grandfather testified about a concerning conversation he had with Collin just months before Catherine’s death.
"He said, 'My mom, I keep thinking over and over I want to slit her throat, I want her to bleed out, I want to smell the blood,'" Collin’s grandfather stated.
However, the defense team argued that Collin acted in self-defense the day his mother died. They claimed that Catherine Griffith committed "suicide by son."
Collin’s grandmother testified that Catherine had a long history of mental health struggles. She confirmed that Catherine had been Baker Acted multiple times and had attempted suicide on several occasions.
"You said you know of about six threats, what about actual attempts that Kathy attempted to kill herself? Or were those six attempts and I just misunderstood?" she was asked by the defense in court.
"Those were the six attempts," the grandmother responded.
During the trial, the jury saw Ring camera footage that showed Catherine's conversation with the grandmother. After the conversation, Catherine drove from Port Charlotte to Auburndale to pick up her son on the day she died. According to family friends, she feared that Collin would violate his ongoing court orders.
"They gave me until 10:00 AM -- The police!" Catherine was heard saying in the video.
The defense argued that Collin had repeatedly told people he did not feel safe living with his mother.
"He's telling people, 'I don’t feel safe, I don’t want to go back with my mom,' and they kept making him do that," the defense attorney stated.
After less than 12 hours of deliberation, the jury found Collin Griffith not guilty of both murder and kidnapping charges.
Family friends say they are unsure where Collin will go once he is released. They also said that the Griffith family home in Port Charlotte is now up for sale.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd issued a statement on the not guilty verdict that said:
"Our detectives firmly believe that Collin Griffith murdered his mother. The jury determined that they could not convict him beyond and to the exclusion of all reasonable doubt. During our investigation, detectives found witnesses that believe he also murdered his father in Oklahoma. That investigation is ongoing."
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, substance use disorder, mental health crises, or any other kind of emotional distress, help is available. Call, text, or chat 988. The 988 Florida Lifeline is a free, three-digit phone number that connects you to a trained counselor.
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