Brandt guilty in murder trial

By MATT WUNSCHE
and SUSIE XU
Collegian Staff Writers

BELLEFONTE -- After an emotional farewell to a close friend, his lawyer and his two sons, State College resident Dietrich R. Brandt was escorted by police out of the courtroom yesterday to spend the rest of his life in prison.

On the second day of the murder trial, the jury found Brandt, 67, guilty of first- and third-degree murder for the May death of his wife Louise Brandt. Centre County Judge Thomas K. Kistler immediately sentenced Brandt to life in prison.

Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar said he was grateful to the jury for making the unanimous decision.

"The jury did the right thing. It must have been difficult, but it was the right thing," he said.

He added successfully appealing the case is not likely.

"Murder is murder. It's an intentional killing . . . and that's what we have here. You don't excuse murder because you feel sorry for the perpetrator," Gricar said.

David Crowley, Centre County chief public defender and Brandt's attorney, said he was disappointed by the verdict because the prosecution did not let him defend Brandt on the basis he was following his wife's wishes to die.

"(Kistler) came up with these goofy instructions that (the defense) cannot use her wishes as an excuse," he said.

The defense finished presenting its evidence yesterday morning by portraying Brandt as a loving husband who killed his wife as an act of mercy, while the prosecution countered his wife suffered from a history of abuse from Brandt.

Brandt's counsel called five witnesses including Brandt. The first four were health care workers familiar with Louise Brandt's health problems, but it was Brandt's testimony that made the most visible impact on the jury.

He explained his relationship with his wife as her health deteriorated.

"I told her 'I need you more than you need me,' " Brandt said.

In his testimony, Brandt described the night he killed his wife. She cried out for help in the early hours of May 6 and as he moved her to and from bed, he said he thought he heard a bone break in her chest area.

Brandt said his wife said she wanted to die and asked if he were going to kill her. To help her fall back to sleep, he gave her a sleeping pill. Brandt then walked into the kitchen, picked up one of three oxygen tanks that were brought in that day and went back to the bedroom.

Brandt also demonstrated how he picked up the tank to hit her in the head, but said he was not sure if he hit her more than once.

After he killed his wife, Brandt said he slit his wrists three times each. He also attempted to overdose on Valium his wife had for her pain.

Dr. Susan Heywood, cardiologist at Centre Community Hospital, testified regarding Louise Brandt's physical condition. She suffered from various complications because of drugs used along with a 1991 kidney transplant, Heywood said, and repeatedly asked to die.

While on the stand, Brandt explained an agreement he reached with his wife about her condition.

"When the time comes and you can't take it anymore, tell me, and I'll end it, and I'll follow," he said he had told his wife.

• Feb. 17: Brandt murder trial enters second day