I'm seeing a trend emerging, people are blaming bad things on "God" instead of saying it was their own doing. Voodoo curses, this, and many other crimes committed in "God's" name.

Religious fixations, delusions or hallucinations play a role in many mental illnesses. It can be a fine line to know when a person should be held accountable (in other words, when they know they are in the wrong and are deliberately using it as an excuse) and when not.

"Set a new course. There's coffee in that nebula." -- Capt. Janeway, Star Trek: Voyager

Indeed. I hope the courts can determine whether he's seriously deluded or just building a plea of insanity. Either way I also hope the priority is protection of the community.

Here, a plea of insanity can possibly lead to more time in custody rather than less. Imprisonment for murder (as we know) can be for an appallingly few years. But in South Oz at least, institutionalised "at the Governor's pleasure" means more or less that you get out when the State Governor is convinced you're all better. That can be forever.

And a small aside, but how unsecured were the guns and ammunition? There may be another prosecution there for the owner.

Blaming God for actions isn't a new trend by any stretch of the imagination.

Quite right. Didn't some old testament guy massacre the Ammonites or whatever (that would be where those fossilised sea creatures came from!) under God's orders. Joshua also fit the battle of Jericho. Sirhan Sirhan heard voices, as I recall. And I see little difference between Crusade, Conquista and Jihad.

But the big question is, with all the smiting God engages in, He sounds a few screws short of a tool box Himself.

"Er ... it's not my fault. I made myself do it!" Doesn't work too good as an excuse.

Or maybe He could blame Us. (Notice the capitalized "U" there .)

"Adam told me to do it!"

"Set a new course. There's coffee in that nebula." -- Capt. Janeway, Star Trek: Voyager

"Now if all the gods you know jumped over a cliff, would you do it just because they did?"