All articles tagged with #mental competency
A 44-year-old man, Michael Ray Gledhill, accused of fatally stabbing actor James Handy, will not face murder charges until he undergoes a mental competency evaluation; a judge ordered a June 22 hearing, bail set at about $2.02 million, and the investigation remains ongoing in Tarzana.
The 81-year-old actor James Handy was stabbed to death in Tarzana, Los Angeles. The suspect, 44-year-old Michael Ray Gledhill—son of Handy’s girlfriend—has been charged with murder, but a mental competency hearing is scheduled for June 22 before the case can proceed. If convicted, he faces a sentence of 26 years to life and remains jailed on $2.02 million bail after reportedly identifying himself to officers at the scene. Handy was known for Top Gun: Maverick and other film/TV roles; the death prompted ongoing legal proceedings now paused pending the competency evaluation.
The Biden campaign has condemned a new ad from a Trump-aligned political action committee that suggests the president might die if re-elected, calling it "sick and deranged." The ad features footage of Biden stumbling and stammering, questioning his ability to survive until 2029. The Trump campaign has repeatedly suggested that Biden is not mentally strong enough to remain in office, despite Biden's doctor affirming his fitness for duty.
Nikki Haley made a surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live to mock Donald Trump's mental competency and legal issues, portraying a concerned South Carolina voter questioning Trump, played by James Austin Johnson. The sketch referenced Trump's cognitive test claims, legal fees, and a non-sequitur remark. Haley's appearance is seen as an attempt to appeal to voters and get under Trump's skin as they compete in the upcoming South Carolina primary.
A judge has ruled that Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, the man accused of killing 10 people in a shooting rampage at a Colorado supermarket in 2021, is mentally competent to stand trial. The ruling comes after experts at a state mental hospital determined that Alissa was competent, despite previous evaluations suggesting otherwise. Alissa, who has schizophrenia, has been charged with murder and multiple attempted murder counts. The judge noted that Alissa's mental condition improved after being forced to take medication. A hearing will be held on November 14 to determine if there is enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial.
A judge has ruled that Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, the man accused of killing 10 people in a Colorado supermarket in 2021, is mentally competent to stand trial. The ruling comes after experts at a state mental hospital determined that Alissa was competent following forced medication for his schizophrenia. Alissa, who is charged with murder and attempted murder, allegedly carried out the shooting spree in a crowded grocery store in Boulder. The motive for the shooting has not been disclosed. Now that Alissa has been deemed competent, a hearing will be held to determine if there is enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial.
Lori Vallow Daybell, who is serving a life sentence for murdering her two children, has appealed her convictions to the Idaho Supreme Court. Her attorney intends to raise the issue of her mental competency during the trial. Vallow Daybell has also requested a state public defender as she claims she cannot afford an attorney. She was convicted in May of murdering her children and conspiring to kill her husband's first wife. Vallow Daybell's husband, Chad Daybell, is set to be tried separately in April.
The man accused of the Boulder King Soopers shooting, Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, has been found mentally competent to stand trial by state evaluators after a long delay. Alissa, who defense attorneys say has schizophrenia, had been undergoing treatment and regular mental competency evaluations since being deemed mentally incompetent in December 2021. The determination that he is now competent means the criminal case against Alissa can move forward, and the District Attorney's Office has filed a motion to schedule a preliminary hearing. Alissa is accused of carrying out a mass shooting in March 2021, killing 10 people.
Joe Biden's communications team is facing pressure after the president made several gaffes during his visit to Maui, including struggling to pronounce the names of local politicians and suggesting he empathized with islanders due to a minor house fire incident. Republicans have been questioning Biden's mental competency, and a poll showed that a majority of Americans do not want him or Donald Trump to run again in 2024. Despite the gaffes, political experts believe they are unlikely to be a pivotal factor in the upcoming election.
Federal prosecutors and public defenders are set to argue in court over whether disbarred attorney Tom Girardi is mentally competent to stand trial for allegedly stealing millions of dollars from his clients. Girardi's lawyers claim that he suffers from dementia, with parts of his brain atrophying and memory loss. The government, however, doubts his mental incompetence and argues that he is competent enough to stand trial. If found incompetent, the government may be prohibited from prosecuting Girardi. He is also facing criminal charges in Chicago for misappropriating client funds.
A panel of federal appeals judges has lifted the stay on the execution of Johnny Johnson, who kidnapped and killed a 6-year-old girl in Valley Park, Missouri, in 2002. Johnson is set to be executed by lethal injection on Tuesday. His lawyers argued that his execution would violate the U.S. Constitution due to his mental incompetence, but the appeals court denied his request to halt the execution. Missouri has already executed three other inmates this year.
The trial of Kellye SoRelle, a lawyer for the far-right Oath Keepers extremist group charged with conspiracy in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol, will be delayed so she can receive treatment to be mentally competent to stand trial. Experts for the prosecution and defense found she is not competent for a trial that had been set for July, and predicted that three to four months of treatment can restore her to competency. SoRelle has pleaded not guilty and been free pending trial in Texas.