Before opening arguments in the trial, defendant Darren Mack was asked by Judge Doug Herdon that he had been advised by his counsel he could change his plea to guilty by reason of insanity for both the murder and attempted murder charges. Did he want to do that? Mack standing before the judge thought for a moment and whispered to his attorney Scott Freeman. He responded to the judge that he would go against his attorney's advice and stick with his original plea. Not guilty in the murder of Charla Mack--self defense. Not guilty by reason of insanity--shooting Judge Weller.

Just 24 days ago Governor Jim Gibbons signed a new Nevada law setting new guidelines for the not guilty by insanity plea. It is based in part on a case out of Las Vegas where the defendant was acquitted for killing a man while that defendant was high on LSD.

Keep that in mind during the course of this trail.

Opening arguments produced some information not seen or heard before. A video tape of Darren Mack speaking before a group of fathers whofelt they have been abused by the family court system. Mack compares his efforts to speak out against the system to those of the patriots against the British in 1776. Prosecutor Robert Daskas told the court this was more of an outrage against someone (Charla) trying to take some of his estimated 10 million dollar a year income rather than a corrupt court system.

The defense used the same tape to show how mentally ill their client really was. David Chesnoff told the jury, "My client thought he was Benjamin Franklin." Attorney Scott Freeman spent time talking about Charla as the aggressor in the marriage and relationship. She verbally abused him. She physically hit him. Freeman says he took martial arts and was fit. She was the one who had sex with both men and women. She was the one that allowed Darren to take part. Darren, Freeman says, wanted an exclusive relationship but went along with Charla's desires. They both took X to enhance their sex lives. On June 12 Freeman says Charla jumped Mack in his condo's garage and was able to get a concealed gun he had on him. Freeman says she shot but missed. They physically fought, on the ground, she tried to pull a knife from Darren's belt, he grabbed it and stabbed her in the neck to defend himself. With a rubber band as a visual aid, Freeman says Darren Mack snapped.

Chesnoff took over the opening arguments from there. He told the jury they had all said during voire dire they would listened to psychological experts. That they must listen to expert testimony presented to them. He said Darren suffered dillusion disorder--brought on by excessive X use.

Distraught by his failing marriage the court system's ruling he was convinced everyone involved in those areas of his life was conspiring against him. All untrue Chesnoff said, but Darren Mack believed it. Chesnoff says at the time Mack believed he was spiritually ordained to rage against the injustices of a system that was corrupt. And Judge Weller represented that system Chesnoff said, that's why he shot him.

MACK 101: Just before opening arguments a group of judges from Russia came in and sat down in the back of the courtroom. They were visiting to watch American jurisprudence first hand. In broken English they asked "where is Reno?" I asked the interpreter if she wanted me to explain to them a little bit about the case. Once I finish one of the judges asked, "why did he shoot the judge?" Because he was handling the defendant's divorce. The group listened to jury instructions, the prosecution, and then left.

You can see Terri report on Court-TV Monday, October 29th, at 7am (charter channel 60).