SBCDistrictAttorney
Santa Barbara County District Attorney John T. Savrnoch announced that Cora Vides, a 21-year-old resident of Santa Barbara, California, was found guilty by a jury on August 12, 2024, of Attempted Murder with Premeditation and Deliberation.
The Jury also found true allegations that Ms. Vides personally used a deadly weapon, a knife, and did personally inflict great bodily injury on the victim, [Georgia] Avery.
The charges stemmed from an incident occurring in the early morning of February 14, 2021, between two Laguna Blanca school students. Ms. Vides had invited the victim, Ms. Avery, to her house for a get together on February 13, 2021.
When the victim indicated to Ms. Vides that it was time to go, Ms. Vides asked the victim to lie down and try a meditation technique, placed a sweatshirt over her eyes and had her look up exposing her neck. Ms. Vides then told the victim to image a light going through her body, and to think about the future and things she was looking forward to. At that point Ms. Vides counted down from “3” before taking a switchblade knife, that she had received for her 18th birthday, and plunging it into the victim’s neck.
Although bleeding profusely from her neck wound the victim was able to fight back for some time while Ms. Vides attempted to strangle her and then suffocate her with a comforter. Eventually, the victim was able to convince Ms. Vides that she would forgive her and to get her parents to take her to the hospital. The victim survived the attack after undergoing emergency surgery.
After weeks of expert psychological testimony and clear indications of intrusive violent ideations related to the victim, the jury found in a separate phase of the trial that the defendant was legally insane at the time of the attack.
Ms. Vides is currently being held without bail and the case is set for continued hearing and placement recommendation on August 29, 2024 in Santa Barbara Superior Court, Department 11 in front of the Honorable Von Deroian at 8:30 a.m. Based on the jury’s finding of insanity at the time of the offense, Ms. Vides will be committed to the Department of State Hospitals for care and treatment of up to a maximum time of life.
District Attorney John Savrnoch stated, “Thank you to the Santa Barbara Police Department and the Prosecution Team led by Senior Deputy Kevin Weichbrod and Deputy District Attorney Sarah Barkley for their work in this difficult case in holding this individual accountable for her actions.”
Related Articles
Santa Barbara Woman Found Guilty of Attempted Murder in 2021 Stabbing of Classmate
The ‘Bad Thing’ That Drove One Laguna Blanca Student to Stab Another
“Good” outcome. Prison is not the place for a (then) 18yo who committed a crime while suffering from severe mental health issues. I hope she receives the help she needs in the state hospital. I hope the victim has been able to heal as well.
ANON – agreed. People suffering from mental health issues need professional help, not punitive incarceration. I only hope the state facility has the resources and funding needed to provide her and the others there with the help they need.
Tragic for all involved, especially the victim a s her family. And eye-awakening to see what can happen when a young person loses it, insane or not.
Per previous articles, Vides if found insane – which is what the jury found – could be out in as early as 6 months after a stay in a Psych hospital.
She also could be kept in custody longer than a non-insane sentence, and be subjected to extremely close supervision if/when she is released.
State criminal psychiatric hospitals must be tough. There are 5 in CA.
https://dsh.ca.gov/Hospitals/index.html
Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (Penal Code 1026)
Patients judged by the court to be not guilty because they were insane at the time of the felony crime are committed to a state hospital for treatment for a period equal to the maximum sentence of their most serious offense. Their treatment goal is to control violent behaviors and develop socially responsible behavior and independent living skills, while treating their mental illness.
John Hinckley’s sentence:
In 2016, the court granted him convalescent leave from the mental hospital, allowing Hinckley to live with his mother in Williamsburg, Va., full time. (He’d already been granted permission to live with her part-time.) Still, the court imposed several limitations on his movement and multiple court-mandated appointments for treatment every month.
Since 2003, the conditions of his confinement have been gradually eased.
U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman approved Hinckley’s unconditional release in September 2021.
https://www.npr.org/2022/06/15/1105370016/john-hinckley-who-tried-to-assassinate-president-reagan-is-granted-full-release
To be clear, I am not defending Vides or Hinckley. We laypeople don’t know much about criminally insane prisons and sentences; I meant to bring up an example and some questions.
She’s going to be incarcerated for a good amount of time.
How about the parents buying their obviously troubled child a switchblade?
Clearly that was a terrible idea. I’m sure they know it now. I wouldn’t buy my kid a switchblade, ever. I’m also sure the prosecutors attempted to use that as evidence against her (premeditation, planning, thought processing intact…) but it is what it is. She got the lighter of the sentences, that’s for sure. Her parents should be relieved, slightly, that’s she’s not in the Pen forever. Tragic.
Papi – It is interesting no charges were filed by the DA in this case if the suspect was given the knife by her parent’s. Reviewing Penal Code 21510 PC, it is a crime to carry, possess in public, sell or (give away) a switchblade in California.
Alexblue. I’m hoping you approve of my punctuation:)
Nope. I hope you’re joking.
How a jury of random people can determine someone’s mental state is beyond me. This came down to which side hired the better expert witness.
Doesn’t that comment apply to almost any trial? Exceptions vwould be for a county that has a respected and well-paid public defenders office.
This one, with an affluent defense, was able to hire top – notch expert witnesses. However, the state psychiatric hospitals for the criminally insane are often not thought to be an improvement over the state prison system. Its a very, very sad situation for all.