PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — A Port Charlotte teenager who was accused of murdering his mother in September has been found not guilty on all counts.
WATCH AS HIS GRANDPARENTS SPOKE ABOUT WHAT LED UP TO THAT TRAGIC DAY:
On Wednesday, a jury found 17-year-old Collin Griffith not guilty of all charges related to the death of his mother, Catherine Griffith.
In September, Catherine died from a stab wound, and 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.
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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