Carly Gregg mental health questioned, conflicting testimonies in trial

Rebuttal witnesses for the state testified Thursday that a Rankin County teenage girl accused of shooting and killing her mother denied hearing voices, conflicting with previous testimony given by the defense’s expert witness.

Carly Madison Gregg, 15, is accused of murdering her 40-year-old mother, Ashley Smylie, and attempting to murder her 39-year-old stepfather, Heath Smylie, on March 19 at the family’s Brandon home in the 200 block of Ashton Way. Gregg was 14 at the time of the offenses.

On Tuesday, the state rested its case. On Wednesday, the defense rested its case.

On Thursday, the state called Olivia Leber, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, as a rebuttal witness. Leber said she first met with Gregg in January 2024, at which time, Gregg completed a form and checked “No,” on the form when asked if she was hearing voices.

Leber said Gregg was diagnosed with major depressive disorder and adjustment disorder. Leber noted Gregg had mentioned being depressed but it was not chronic. Leber said Gregg appeared to have normal responses during their first appointment.

“She denied hallucinations or delusions,” Leber said.

During a follow-up appointment in February, Leber said Gregg reported having no trouble with remote memory and had “no abnormal or psychotic thoughts.”

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Leber said she met with Gregg for the last time on March 12, a week before the shootings. At this appointment, a medication switch occurred after Gregg complained of feeling “like a zombie.” Leber said she told Gregg to taper off the Zoloft she was taking, while starting on a new medication, Lexapro. According to Leber, Gregg never reported hearing voices or having lapses in her memory.

“If you stop your medication abruptly, there’s always a risk for symptoms to come back, maybe worse…” Leber said.

The state also called rebuttal witness Rebecca Kirk, a licensed professional counselor, who met with Gregg nine times before the shootings. In January, Gregg and Ashley reported that Gregg was having intrusive and disruptive thoughts, was easily angered, and was having trouble sleeping, according to Kirk’s testimony. Gregg denied hearing voices.

Kirk said in the final session, Gregg was not experiencing any suicidal or homicidal tendencies, nor did she report experiencing any side effects from her medication.

“Rebecca as a therapist, how many people do you see that have complaints about depression or anxiety?” asked prosecutor Kathryn Newman.

“Almost every single one of them,” Kirk said.

“And how many of them have gone on to kill their mom,” Newman asked.

“Before that, none,” Kirk said.

Dr. Jason Pickett, a forensic psychiatrist, also testified in court regarding his task to perform a mental evaluation of Gregg by using a test. Pickett’s testimony occurred shortly after Dr. Amanda Gugliano testified in court that she performed a competency evaluation in which the Court later determined Gregg was competent to stand trial.

Pickett said there are two prongs to The M’Naghten Rule, a legal standard test of insanity, in order for a person to be found insane in Mississippi. First, the individual must have a diagnosed mental illness. Second, the question of ‘did the individual understand the nature and the quality of what they were doing at the time of the offense?’ must be answered.

Pickett said that to him, some of Gregg’s writings and statements seemed “theatrical” and others “concerning.”

Pickett said he reviewed multiple pieces of evidence such as Gregg’s journal entries, conversations with her family, her drug use, text messages including one text dated Feb. 7 when Gregg told a friend, “You don’t understand how (expletive) psycho I was that day, I almost murdered my parents.”

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According to Pickett, he believes the “low dosage” of Lexapro prescribed to Gregg did not cause Gregg to commit the alleged crimes.

“My opinion is that Carly does not meet Mississippi’s standard for insanity at the time of the offense, and that she knew the nature, quality and wrongfulness of her actions during that day,” Pickett said.

Testimony from all of the state’s expert witnesses at many times during the Thursday court appearance conflicted with the testimony of the defense’s expert witness, Dr. Andrew Clark.

Clark, a psychiatrist, testified Wednesday that Gregg was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the shooting.

“She was having mood issues, eating disorder issues, cutting herself, hearing voices and sleeping difficulty all leading up to January 2024,” Clark said.

Clark also gave a different accounting of what Gregg said she was feeling on March 12. Clark read aloud in the courtroom a journal entry said to be dated March 12:

“I think I had a psychotic break earlier. The whole ordeal is quite silly. I actually spoke with one of the voices in my head. Well, I didn’t hear them until earlier today, but I only do then. My particular friend and I were practically screaming bloodthirstily and ravenously. Thank God — physical confrontation was not possible. I sound crazy,” Clark read.

Clark said he believes the Lexapro complied with Gregg’s history of mental health issues and upbringing led to the violent outburst, which he said Gregg doesn’t remember due to her memory going “blank.”

“Her memory came back as she was standing by the side of the road, having crawled out of a drainage pipe wet, and the police officer came by and picked her up,” Clark said.

On cross Wednesday, prosecutor Michael Smith noted how “convenient” it was that Gregg could recall what happened before school, during school and when she was arrested, but couldn’t recall the hour timespan of when Gregg allegedly murdered her mother.

Gregg faces charges for murder, attempted murder and tampering with evidence. If convicted, Gregg faces 20 years to a potential life sentence in prison.

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