Psychotherapist, stepfather testify on Day 4 of penalty phase in ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ trial

MORGAN COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — Thursday marks day four of the penalty phase in the trial of a man convicted for his role in killing seven people.

On Wednesday, August 28, a jury found Frederic Rogers guilty of three counts of capital murder after seven days of testimony, arguments and four hours of jury deliberation over two days.

The State of Alabama is seeking the death penalty against Rogers, which is what the jury will now decide in this phase of the trial.

Rogers’s defense said at the trial opening he was guilty, but they hoped to spare his life.

The penalty phase is almost a mini-trial, in which jurors will hear from character witnesses as the defense will argue Rogers should be given life in prison without the possibility of parole.

News 19 Reporter Kayla Smith was in the courtroom on Thursday bringing live updates on the trial.

The first person the defense called to the stand on Thursday was Wayne Hulon, a psychotherapist who specializes in ‘quantitive EEG analysis.’ Hulon often works with Dr. Robert Schaffer as their work compliments each other.

Hulon explained that a lot of his work pertains to head injuries. He works as a counselor and has overseen studies done on brain activity. He told the court that brains can be injured by substance use, and that concussions can happen without hitting your head.

He also does “brain mapping,” a process used to identify “peculiarities” in the brain. Hulon performed Rogers’ brain mapping and spent roughly 30 hours analyzing it. He said that by looking at the map, he can tell that Rogers struggles in moments of chaos and stress. It explains why he is considered a model prisoner due to the structure and stability of prison.

The psychotherapist also said that Rogers injured his frontal lobe when he was young, resulting in seizures and difficulty speaking when stressed. Hulon says that injury can also impact memory, “specifically the type that keeps you from making the same mistakes over and over.”

Hulon did specify that the seizures are not epileptic, instead they can be brought on by things like pain or lack of sleep.

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Rogers’ brain map also showed symptoms of bipolar disorder, but Hulon did not make a diagnosis in the case. The report showed information he had received from other medical professionals. He said he would not feel comfortable making that diagnosis as it requires several tests.

The remainder of Hulon’s testimony showed Rogers ‘extensively’ used alcohol, marijuana, meth and heroin.

Following Hulon’s testimony was Raymond Thompson, Rogers’ stepfather.

Thompson told the court he was only 24 or 25 when he met Rogers, who at the time was about 10. He said he and Rogers’ mother, Tasha, dated for a few years before getting married. During that time they spent a lot of time “drinking a lot and smoking weed.”

He said that Tasha had waited to introduce Thompson to her son due to the amount of people who had come in and out of his life.

Thompson explained that in the time that he had been with Tasha, he had become like a father figure to Rogers. Six months into living together, Thompson said Rogers had asked to call him “dad.”

“It made me feel good,” Thompson said.

He said that Tasha had continued to lie about her drug use, and that money had gone missing. Thompson said that it caused them to break up for four years. He recalled that Rogers had seen Tasha high and drunk throughout his childhood. Because of this, he said, Rogers would take care of his siblings, like getting them ready for school and making their meals.

In 2017 or ‘18, Thompson and Tasha broke up after a fight. Tasha moved out. Rogers was in Oregon at the time, and this was after his high school graduation.

Thompson said that Rogers came into the house at 14 or 15 with a rifle and told his mother to take the gun away from him because otherwise, he might hurt himself. Tasha did not get him help. She told Thompson her brother had been medicated for his bipolar disorder and was “like a zombie.”

Thompson added that Rogers was protective of his siblings, and looked out for his little brothers. Rogers once punched a kid for picking on another neighborhood kid, according to Thompson, but he said never saw any other violence from Rogers.

Thompson testified that later Tasha started using meth and while she didn’t admit it at the time, it changed her behavior.

“It made her crazy,” he said.

Thompson said Tasha later admitted to the drug use.

He said he learned about the murders from the news and he didn’t feel like that was the kid he raised.

Thompson said he has spoken to Rogers a few times since he’s been in jail and he says he’s still the same good kid he always knew him to be.

“He was a darn good kid,” he said. “I love him with all my heart.”

Under cross-examination, Thompson said he had never seen Rogers drinking or using drugs when he lived with him and thought he was on track to have a successful life.

The final witness of the day was Tasha Thompson, Roger’s mother.

The defense first asked Tasha about her early life. She said she had a difficult relationship with her father even at an early age.

“It was never just me and Dad,” she said. “My dad was kind of upset I came out a girl.”

Tasha said she met Brian Rogers, Frederic Rogers’ biological father, when she was 16. She said she was pregnant at the time.

She said they eventually got married but after a couple of months, Brina began slapping and pinching her. Tasha testified that she became pregnant with Frederic Rogers a few months after that.

On the stand, Tasha admitted to using marijuana while pregnant with Rogers. She said it was a difficult labor and she ended up in the hospital for two days after.

“Becoming a momma came really natural to me,” she told the court, adding that she had helped take care of her brother and younger cousins.

Tasha said when she was at work her mother or grandmother would watch Rogers. She said the boy was diagnosed with eczema at five months old and later asthma. She said she would sometimes keep him home from school due to the two conditions.

“He’s always been so sweet and loving,” Tasha said of her son.

She said Rogers liked video games and matchbox cars as a child. Tasha said he was a smart kid and did well in school.

Tasha testified that her younger brother, Reggie was likely the closest thing Rogers had to a father figure.

On the stand, she testified that drug use began for her as a coping mechanism after her brother’s death but she quit using hard substances for several years in large part due to knowing she was a mom.

She said after her brother’s death, Rogers became anxious and she took him to therapy but Tasha didn’t feel it was helping.

Tasha said she and Rogers were always close while he was growing up. She said in a way they grew up together.

“Looking back I see the unfortunate parts of that,” she said.

Tasha said he eventually wanted to move to Oregon but ended up not going to culinary school due to money.

She said lately she has been talking to Rogers at least every three days now. Tasha said lately they have bene talking a lot about God.

After Tasha was dismissed, so was the jury. The penalty phase of the trial was set to resume Friday morning.

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