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Mother Accused Of Shooting, Killing 9-Year-Old Son Pleads Insanity

DENVER, Colo. (CBS4) – A mother accused of shooting and killing her own child pleaded pleads not guilty by reason of insanity in court on Thursday.

Lisa Lesyshen is accused of killing her 9-year-old son, Asher Lesyshen-Kirlan, in their home near Steamboat Springs. She then shot herself but survived and is now paralyzed.

Asher Lesyshen-Kirlan
Asher Lesyshen-Kirlan (credit: CBS)

Court officials say because of how badly Lesyshen's condition is that she must remain in Denver.

Lesyshen Lisa
Lisa Lesyshen (credit: CBS)

Lesyshen faces charges of first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death. She was scheduled to be in court for her arraignment at 11 a.m. but it had to be pushed back to later in the day due to the jail having some issues getting her to court.

Prosecutors allege that Lisa Lesyshen became angry with her husband, Michael Kirlan, when she discovered he was allegedly dating another woman. They argue that on May 29, 2013, just days after that discovery, Lesyshen shot her third-grade son five times and then tried to kill herself to punish her husband.

It's believed that the couple's son was asleep in bed when the shooting happened. Kirlan was also asleep in another bedroom.

During an earlier preliminary hearing the defense argued Lesyshen was under emotional duress following the discovery of her husband's affair.

Lesyshen has been held without bond at Denver County's jail infirmary. Officials say the Routt County jail doesn't have the staff or the around-the-clock staff to handle a prisoner with Lesyshen's kind of injuries.
Lesyshen must now undergo an evaluation with a state appointed psychiatrist.

The trial is expected to start in September and last about three weeks.

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