A pre-trial hearing was held on March 19 at the Lincoln Parish Courthouse in Ruston for Jacoby Johnson, accused of stabbing four women outside the Lambright Sports and Wellness Center at Louisiana Tech University on November 13, 2023.
Johnson’s attorney asked to change his plea from “not guilty” to “not guilty by reason of insanity.” He faces one count of second-degree murder and three counts of attempted second-degree murder.
The incident occurred when Johnson, a Tech student, allegedly confessed to police that he “snapped” from stress and anger, leading to the attack. He reportedly admitted he might have continued his attack elsewhere on campus if he hadn’t been arrested.
Johnson’s mental capacity was evaluated by a court-appointed sanity commission on January 23, 2024. The judge ruled Johnson to be mentally stable enough to stand trial and in no need of additional evaluation. Johnson’s lawyer stated that there were 14 complaints at Louisiana Tech of Johnson hearing voices, but nothing was done.
Another pre-trial hearing is scheduled for May 21 at the Lincoln Parish Courthouse.