Just when it looked like the legal drama involving Liv Morgan’s alleged stalker was heading to trial, a shocking new development may change everything.
According to PWInsider, it was confirmed that Shawn Chan, the man accused of interstate stalking and domestic violence involving Liv Morgan, has officially filed a notice to pursue an insanity defense. The filing came on December 23, 2025, just three weeks ahead of the originally scheduled trial date of January 12, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
Chan’s attorneys submitted a motion under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 12.2(b), which allows for the introduction of expert testimony supporting a claim of insanity. According to the motion:
“After reviewing the discovery and meeting with Mr. Chan, defense counsel came to believe that additional investigation of his mental status was necessary to defend him on the merits.”
The defense retained Dr. Michelle Ayala to examine Chan. After an initial scheduling delay, she conducted the examination on October 24, and submitted a 10-page, single-spaced report on December 22. In her findings, Dr. Ayala concluded:
“Mr. Chan suffers from an acute delusional disorder that causes him to believe he is in a romantic relationship with the alleged victim. Mr. Chan was insane at the time of the offense.”
This could throw the entire trial schedule into chaos. Prosecutors immediately fired back, calling the filing “untimely” and arguing that the deadline for pre-trial motions passed on May 12, 2025. They insist the trial can’t move forward as scheduled if the court allows this last-minute change.
In response, Chan’s defense team argued that the delays were out of their control and rooted in Dr. Ayala’s availability. They stated:
“Given the thoroughness of Dr. Ayala’s examination and report, a delay of this sort is to be expected.”
They also claim the filing deadline passed before Chan was even indicted, which made prior compliance impossible. The court has now given the prosecution until January 6, 2026 to respond before determining whether to adjust the trial schedule.
As previously reported, Shawn Chan was arrested by the FBI on June 3 after allegedly traveling from Scarborough, Ontario, to Florida, where he trespassed on Liv Morgan’s property. He circled her home for hours, left behind a note with his personal information, and handled an air pellet gun on her porch. WWE security flagged him in surveillance footage, which led to his arrest and indictment on June 25.
Chan has remained in federal custody since June, with all of his motions for release denied. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.
With this new insanity defense now in play, the January 12 trial date is hanging by a thread. Whether the court allows the defense to proceed or sticks to the original timeline remains to be seen—but this case just got a whole lot more complicated.
What do you think—should the court delay the trial to consider the insanity plea, or is it too late to change course? Sound off in the comments and let us know where you stand.