Teen who killed River Valley High School classmate with ax appeals conviction

Chief Justice Menon highlighted a second problem that he found “rather troubling”.

According to court documents, the teen said he felt “catharsis and regret” after attacking the victim, and he decided to stop his plan to kill more people.

While the chief justice said it was “completely tragic” that a young person could feel this way about wanting to take their own life, he said he struggled to see what mitigating effect his mental illness had on his case.

In response, Mr Sudheesan explained that his client's plan to end his life was to attack someone at school and ask the police to kill him – therefore, the steps taken to kill the victim were deliberate as planned.

However, after killing the boy, he felt “catharsis and regret” and decided to stop his plans to kill more people, the lawyer said.

As for the harm caused to the victim, the lawyer said he hated to use the term, but that it was “collateral damage”, and that “the poor victim was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.”

Defense attorneys said the teenager had been receiving treatment by taking antidepressants daily since September 2021, with the dose being reduced after November 2022.

He has also undergone psychotherapy sessions, attends a religious community and receives religious counseling with a pastor, converting to Christianity during his pre-trial detention.

His depression has been in remission since September 2022, a fact confirmed in June 2023, without any relapse since.

Mr Sudheesan said his client felt deep remorse for his actions, understanding he had caused irreparable harm to Ethan's family.

He expressed his remorse in a letter to Ethan's family.