Nicholas Godejohn Will Use Autism As A Defense In Dee Dee Blanchard's Murder

SPRINGFIELD, MO — Nicholas Godejohn will use autism as a defense when he goes on trial for the murder of Dee Dee Blanchard.

Godejohn was charged with killing Dee Dee, the mother of his girlfriend, Gypsy Rose Blanchard, in June 2015.

Godejohn's attorneys will argue that due to his autism, he had a diminished mental capacity at the time of the crime, according to Ozarks First. This meant that he was not able to deliberate before making the decision to fatally stab Dee Dee.

Godejohn has claimed that he stabbed Dee Dee to death to end the years of medical abuse that she put Gypsy through.

The case gained international attention after it was revealed that Gypsy had been a victim of Munchausen by proxy since she was a baby.

Over the years, Dee Dee claimed that Gypsy suffered from a variety of illnesses including muscular dystrophy and leukemia. Dee would feed Gypsy through a tube and insist she use a wheelchair. After Dee Dee's murder, Gypsy revealed that she could always walk — but was afraid of her mother's rage if she did so in public.

Godejohn now says that he regrets the murder.

"I wish I would have known it was more manipulation than love cause if I would have known that, I probably would not have been in this situation I'm in," Godejohn told KOLR10. "Due to my main disability, it's pretty easy for me to be deceived.”

Godejohn's attorney Dewayne Perry said doctors have diagnosed him with autism.

"Autism spectrum disorder interferes with a person's ability to envision consequences and think ahead," Perry said.

During jury selection, Perry asked for Judge David Jones to allow a mental-health expert to testify that the disease affected Godejohn's ability to consider his actions before the murder.

Prosecutor Dan Patterson argued that a jury should make that determination.

The trial starts on Tuesday.

Several media outlets have reported that Gypsy is expected to testify as a witness for the defense at Godejohn's trial.

Read more: Ozarks First