The mother of a former Marine accused of shooting a deputy three times, took the stand in her son's defense Thursday.
- Previous story: 911 calls played in ex-Marine's attempted murder trial
- Previous story: 4 years after shooting, attempted murder trial of Iraq War vet starts
Lenda Swanson told the jury that her son Matthew Buendia changed after his third deployment to Afghanistan and that when he came home, the former Marine became a recluse.
"He was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder," said Swanson, "A lot of those doctors were giving Matthew different types of medications. He was taking very severe stuff."
Buendia is accused of shooting Hillsborough County deputy Lyonelle De Veaux during a domestic dispute in October 2011. The deputy survived the shooting.
Buendia's lawyers say the shooting was a result of a mental disorder, but prosecutors say it was premeditated.