By Shayna Jacobs and Olivia Scheck
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — A Portuguese model accused of castrating and murdering his lover at the InterContinental Hotel in Times Square may argue a psychiatric defense, the attorney said Friday.
Renato Seabra, 21, is accused of murdering well-known journalist and gay activist Carlos Castro, 65, after proclaiming that he would rid the victim of his homosexuality. Castro's body was found sexually mutilated.
Seabra's lawyer, David Touger, said he would wait until he received medical records from St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hosptial, where Seabra turned up after the murder, before deciding how to proceed.
"Until we get those records we're not making that decision," Touger said in court on Friday.
"There were no eye-witnesses to the crime nor any statements or witnesses accusing the defendant of the crime at the time he was taken into custody and questioned," Touger also noted during the hearing.
He said he expects to have hospital records as soon as next week.
Seabra entered a plea of not guilty at his arraignment in February.
Following that hearing, Touger told reporters that he was planning "a vigorous defense."
"I'm very optimistic there will be a successful result for Mr. Seabra," he added at the time, though he did not elaborate.
