Baskerville not guilty by reason of insanity

MANASSAS, Va. -- A Woodbridge man charged in the death of a woman abducted from Springfield Mall was found not guilty by reason of insanity in Prince William Circuit Court on Monday.

Keith Baskerville, 20, was charged with felony murder, abduction and carjacking for the September 2008 death of 60-year-old Barbara Bosworth of Alexandria.

According to Virginia law, Baskerville will now be sent to a mental hospital indefinitely for treatment. His case will be reviewed again in July.

Baskerville and 19-year-old Lutchman Chandler abducted Bosworth when she was walking to her car in the Springfield Mall parking garage on Sept. 13, 2008, according to court testimony Monday.

Chandler, who was carrying a BB gun he stole from the Sports Authority store in the mall, drove Bosworth’s car to a PDQ Mart on Cardinal Drive in Woodbridge, where he made Bosworth use her ATM card to buy beer.

Two customers in the store thought something was wrong and tried to help Bosworth, police said.

One of the customers pretended to know her, hugged her and asked she needed help, Prince William County police Detective Todd Troutner said.

“She said ‘Yes, get the tag number,’” Troutner said.

Chandler then had Bosworth get back in the car and drove off.

The other man followed them to the area of U.S. 1 and Neabsco Road, where Chandler lost control and crashed.

Chandler, who had been driving, was ejected from the car. Bosworth, who had been in the front passenger seat, and Baskerville, who was in a rear passenger seat were still in the car when authorities arrived.

Bosworth died at the scene.

Chandler was taken to INOVA Fairfax Hospital, where he later died.

Baskerville was also taken to INOVA Fairfax Hospital and survived injuries that included severe head wounds, prosecutors said.

Baskerville’s mother, Karen J. Smith, said her son started having mental health problems in 2006 and has been diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic.

In an e-mail to the court, Smith said she thought her son should be sent to a mental hospital, rather than jail. She also said she thought her son should not be released.
“I do not wish for Keith to be released,” Smith wrote. “I would like Keith committed to a mental hospital for the remainder of his days unless and until a cure or successful treatment protocol for schizophrenia presents itself, as I feel he is a danger both to himself and society.”

Smith said Baskerville “requires 24 supervision” that neither she nor jail officials can give him. Baskerville often hallucinates and hears voices, Smith said. He has also told psychiatrists that he can communicate with people telepathically.

After his arrest, Baskerville was twice found incompetent to stand trial and sent to mental hospitals for treatment before being found competent again.

At Monday’s hearing, Baskerville first said he did not understand the charges against him. But later, after conferring with his attorney and his mother, said he did understand.

Monday Prince William Circuit Judge Craig Johnston said he believes that that Baskerville can understand what’s going on when “he focuses real hard,” but he probably did not know what was going on the day Bosworth was abducted.

“I think he was likely along for the ride and didn’t know what was happening,” Johnston said.

Smith said sending her son to a mental hospital would be best for him, and best for the public.

“I want comfort for the Bosworth family,” Smith said “The comfort I believe comes with knowing where Keith is at all times, the comfort of knowing he is constantly supervised, the comfort of knowing their horrific experience cannot be repeated involving this young man, and the comfort of knowing pure evil was not at play here.”

Staff writer Amanda Stewart can be reached at 705-530-3908.