In a shocking turn of events, Bryn Spejcher, a California woman convicted of brutally stabbing her boyfriend, Chad O’Melia, 108 times during what was described as a “cannabis-induced psychosis,” received a seemingly light sentence on Tuesday.

Ventura County Superior Court Judge David Worley handed down a sentence of two years’ probation and ordered Spejcher to perform 100 hours of community service following her conviction for the killing, as reported by the Ventura County Star.

Judge Worley justified the lenient sentence by asserting that Spejcher “had no control over her actions” when she entered into a psychotic episode and carried out the gruesome attack on O’Melia, who was just 26 at the time. This incident took place in O’Melia’s Thousand Oaks apartment on May 28, 2018.

Both prosecution and defense experts agreed that a marijuana bong hit had triggered Spejcher’s psychotic episode, leading her to lose control of her actions.

Spejcher had been in a relationship with O’Melia for only a few weeks before the tragic incident occurred. After the brutal murder, law enforcement found her covered in blood, sobbing beside her boyfriend’s lifeless body, still gripping the murder weapon. She even attempted to harm herself by stabbing her own throat when the police intervened.

During the rampage, Spejcher also attacked her own dog, as reported by the outlet.

Her defense argued that Spejcher, an inexperienced cannabis user, became “involuntarily intoxicated” after O’Melia encouraged her to take another bong hit, claiming that the initial one didn’t have the desired effect. She had an adverse reaction to the second hit and panicked before committing the killing.

Under California law, individuals are typically held accountable for their actions while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, unless their intoxication is deemed involuntary. Nevertheless, jurors took less than four hours to find Spejcher guilty of involuntary manslaughter in December 2023.

During the sentencing on Tuesday, Spejcher expressed remorse and sobbed as she apologized to Sean O’Melia, the victim’s father, saying, “My actions have torn your family apart. I am broken and hurting inside. I grieve that you will never see Chad again.”

Contrary to the prosecution’s portrayal of her as a party-goer seeking to get high that fateful night, Spejcher’s father, Mike Spejcher, presented a different perspective during the sentencing, highlighting her hearing impairment and her career as a licensed audiologist before the tragic event.

Sean O’Melia, the father of the victim, accused Judge Worley of bias and criticized the ruling, claiming it sets a dangerous precedent. He stated, “He just gave everyone in the state of California who smokes marijuana a license to kill someone.”

Brendan O’Melia, the victim’s uncle, emphasized that there were no winners in this tragic case but underscored the importance of accountability.

Spejcher’s attorney, Bob Schwartz, praised Judge Worley’s decision as “right and courageous.”