Thousand Oaks Woman Convicted In Cannabis Killing Of Boyfriend Will Spend No Time Behind Bars

Tuesday January 23, 2024

     Updated--A Thousand Oaks woman will not spend any time behind bars for the extremely violent killing of her boyfriend blamed on cannabis-induced psychosis.

     A jury last December convicted Bryn Spejcher of Thousand Oaks of involuntary manslaughter in the death of 26-year-old Chad O'Melia on Memorial Day 2018.

     At Tuesday's sentencing hearing emotions ran high.

     The judge dismissed all of the special allegations against her, suspended a potential prison sentence and placed her on two years of formal probation.

      He also said she does not have to do any jail time.

      The judge said if she adheres to the conditions of her probation she can have the case against her dismissed and she will spend no time behind bars.

     During the sentencing hearing, both sides presented impact statements both in person and in writing.

    Spejcher, who turns 33 Thursday, also made a statement to the court and the victim's family.

    The crime involved the victim being stabbed more than 100 times and even Spejcher stabbed herself and killed her dog.

     During her trial both sides in this case agreed that she acted under the influence of a cannabis-induced psychosis and so the killing was involuntary manslaughter.

     But the prosecution maintained that even though the marijuana made her unaware of what she was doing, she bears responsibility for having used it in the first place.