(Part 3) The Plea: Devon Arthurs and the Question of Sanity

(Part 3/4) Six years after he murdered his two roommates, Devon Arthurs stands before a judge in Tampa and says he’s ready to change. But as psychiatrists describe hallucinations, self-choking episodes, and conflicting diagnoses—from schizophrenia to schizoaffective disorder—one question dominates the courtroom: Is Arthurs genuinely ill… or performing for leniency? Host Andrew Iden examines how the case twisted through years of mental-competency hearings, how experts view the psychology of radicalization, and what drives young men toward hate. Featuring analysis from Luke Baumgartner (George Washington University’s Program on Extremism), Hannah Gais (Southern Poverty Law Center), and journalist Ali Winston, this episode unpacks the intersection of ideology, identity, and illness in one of America’s most disturbing true-crime stories. 👉 Subscribe to DEVIANT for more true crime stories about murder, hate, and the American underworld. 👉 Support the show + get exclusive content: www.deviantpodcast.com 👉 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @deviantdopodcast Copyright 2025 Cold Open Media LLC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices