According to the article, Dora Corbett, Barzee's 88-year-old mother had saved letters from her daughter and turned them into the Associated Press. The letters reveal that Barzee understands and remembers the sins that she committed. She doesn't go into detail about what took place, only that she needs to repent of her sins. Barzee admits that she is expected to receive a life sentence in prison.
It is just so hard to have sympathy for a woman who aided a man in the kidnapping of a 14-year-old little girl. This article reads as if Wanda Barzee feels as much a victim to this man as Elizabeth was.
Apparently Barzee has dealt with some psychological problems, she has some sort of mental illness and was ordered to be administered anti-psychotic drugs due to a 2006 court ruling. However, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the medication order in May 2008 and as a result, Barzee is allowed to refuse her medication on the grounds she is doing so for religious reasons.
Barzee is claiming that what she did was while under "the influence" of Brian Mitchell, a self proclaimed prophet of some kind. But in contrast to this claim, she tells her mother in the letters that although her social worker has found her competent, they won't know for sure until she has been given another evaluation. These letters were sent in April 2009. She also makes a reference to the fact that she might be able to obtain the plea of not guilty by reason of insanity so that she could stay in the hospital instead of prison.
I'm not positive on this, but isn't the fact that she is trying to find a justification for what she did and figuring out how she needs to "obtain" a certain plea show that she is able to rationalize things out?
Another good point in the article was when they interviewed Elizabeth Smart's father, Ed Smart. He admitted Barzee could be making progress. Assuming what he meant by that was the fact that she is admitting she did do this, it was a heinous crime, and that she herself felt that she should repent of it. However, he also felt very strongly that she was not the victim in this. He has no sympathy for her.
I have to agree with Mr. Smart. Its just pretty hard for me to believe she is mentally incompetent. That is not to say she doesn't have some issues with mental illness. I'm sure she does have some mental issues if a court ordered her to take medication. I just feel, as I mentioned earlier, if she can rationalize to her mother what she did and think about what plea she wants to "strive" for, then she should have the ability to determine right from wrong when she went along with Brian Mitchell.
Hopefully justice will be served in this case for the Smart family. And Wanda Barzee, along with Brian Mitchell will eventually be found guilty and will have to serve the life sentences they deserve.
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