A MAN with a history of schizophrenia has pleaded not guilty to murdering his 77-year-old mother in their Newnham unit last year.
Yesterday in the Supreme Court in Launceston, William John Christopher McFardzean Foran, 53, was accused of strangling and smothering Margaret Foran last April.
The trial will examine Mr Foran's state of mind with both the prosecution and defence enlisting expert witnesses in the area.
Psychiatrist Michael Evenhuis will tell the court that Mr Foran believes his body is regenerating _ ``similar to how a lizard regrows limbs'' _ crown prosecutor John Ransom said.
The court heard Mr Foran believed he could move the sun with his hands and that his ``spiritual'' mother had told him to kill his ``biological'' mother.
``In psychiatric terms he's floridly psychotic,'' Mr Ransom said.
Following his arrest the court heard Mr Foran told police he'd killed his mother because she was ``pure evil''.
When asked if he was responsible, he said:
``Physically yes, metaphysically I'm responsible for her resurrection.''
Dr Evenhuis believed Mr Foran was suffering acute psychosis at the time of the alleged murder, the court heard.
The jury heard from two of Mr Foran's sisters who gave evidence about the day their mother died.
Irene Leary said she went to check on her mother after she didn't answer the telephone and discovered her body in the bedroom.
As she was being interviewed by police Mr Foran returned and was arrested.
At the beginning of the trial Justice Helen Wood warned the jury about the graphic nature of some of the evidence, which led to one juror being excused. The jury was told they had to first decide whether Mr Foran committed the alleged murder and whether he was of a sound mind.
An insanity verdict would see Mr Foran dealt with under mental health legislation, Mr Ransom said.
The jury was told the burden of proof for insanity lay on the accused.
The trial continues today with evidence to be given by forensic pathologist Donald Ritchie, several police officers and a Colony 47 volunteer. Mr Foran's defence counsel Tamara Jago did not make an opening statement yesterday.