Nichols Shot Court Reporter Over Baked Goods

ATLANTA -- Court reporter Julie Brandau baked homemade treats for the jurors in Judge Rowland Barnes' courtroom -- an act that cost Brandau her life at the hands of Brian Nichols.

That's according to a psychiatrist who has treated Nichols for over two years and who made that revelation on the stand on Tuesday.

Throughout the trial everyone has heard testimony from family and friends of Brandau who testified that she would make homemade treats for every jury in Judge Rowland Barnes' courtroom. But there's never been a concrete reason given as to why he shot her to death during the March 2005 shooting spree.

On Tuesday, Dr. Richard Dudley said the fact that Brandau baked for the jurors angered Nichols.

"He was upset with the court reporter she was bringing brownies and baked treats to the jury. In Nichols' mind, she was part of the conspiracy against him," Dudley said on the stand.

Dudley also testified that Nichols saw the judge and the prosecutor as part of the conspiracy against him. Dudley did not say Nichols was insane or mentally ill.

Nichols' cousin took the stand late in the day. The cousin, who did not want his face shown on camera, talked about how there was rampant drug and alcohol abuse in Nichols' home when he was growing up.

The jury was shown photographs of Nichols as a little boy. The cousin, who is 15 years older than Nichols, said he remembers him as a sweet little boy. He said he was shocked when Nichols went on a shooting spree, and that he knew his cousin must have snapped.

"The person who went into the courtroom and did this, I don't know," the cousin said. "But the other person that I saw growing up -- that's the Nichols I know. Smart, intelligent, articulate, polite -- a gentleman."

Brian Nichols' teenage daughter has yet to take the stand. She is expected to plead with the jury to spare her father's life.

Later in the day, in an unsettling moment, power in the courtroom went out for about five seconds sending the room into blackness. Deputies rushed to surround Nichols during the temporary blackout. Power was restored, and the trial resumed.