The hammer-wielding son who brutally beat his mother to death in their California home last year suffered from a mental illness that went untreated for years, his lawyer claims.
A scowling Scott Goldberg, 21, remained silent as he appeared before a Ventura County judge Wednesday for an early disposition conference.
Defense attorney Ron Bamieh told DailyMail.com his client had suffered from mental illness for years before attacking his parents.
A psychiatrist and psychologist visited and evaluated Goldberg in jail where he remains in custody without bail, the attorney said.
“Scott has a long history of mental health issues and he was completely degraded at the time of the incident,” Bamieh said.
“The problem is that he never received substantial psychiatric treatment for his mental health and it deteriorated over time.”
Scott Goldberg appeared before a Ventura County Superior Court judge for a brief hearing on March 20, 2024.
Defense attorney Ron Bamieh, pictured left, said his client had suffered from mental illnesses for years.
Prosecutors said Goldberg first attacked his mother, Alison Marshall, hitting her in the head with a hammer while they were upstairs in their Newbury Park home on the night of Nov. 19.
Goldberg’s father, Brett, heard his wife’s screams and ran up the stairs to intervene, but was also attacked by his son, investigators said.
Marshall, 63, was rushed to a local hospital but died from her injuries two weeks later. Her husband survived his injuries.
Goldberg faces several criminal charges, including murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
He pleaded not guilty.
Goldberg, 21, graduated from Newbury Park High School in 2020
Scott Goldberg’s mugshot shows the 21-year-old had visible injuries when he was arrested on November 19, 2024.
He also denied special charges that he used a deadly weapon to inflict serious bodily injury.
Brett Goldberg, 65, declined to comment when contacted by DailyMail.com on Wednesday.
The family’s answering machine, however, still displays a cheery greeting announcing the family of three living together in the Newbury Park home in the quiet Mayfield Court neighborhood.
Bamieh said Wednesday that his client “looked better than when he was arrested” and that he was aware of what was happening during the brief hearing.
Goldberg had obvious scratches and cuts above his right eye and on his head when he was arrested in November, which have since healed.
Scott’s former friends said the 21-year-old was “always a bit weird.”
“What happened to him and what he did would shock anyone in this world,” a former acquaintance told DailyMail.com.
Brett Goldberg, who works in the finance and wealth management industry, moved to the Conejo Valley area in the late 1980s with his wife Alison.
His company, Townsgate Wealth Management, had Brett named as senior vice president and is “a strong advocate for family and community,” according to his bio.
Brett Goldberg, 65, survived his injuries after being attacked by his son
The doting father even coached his son’s basketball team, which won a league championship in 2013.
Scott Goldberg remains incarcerated in the Ventura County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on March 14.
Scott Goldberg was seen by a psychologist and a psychiatrist at the Ventura County jail, according to his attorney Ron Bamieh.