All articles tagged with #mental incompetence
A Los Angeles judge ruled that 44-year-old Michael Gledhill, accused of stabbing and killing 81-year-old actor James Handy, is not mentally competent to stand trial; the case is paused and a July 14 placement recommendation hearing will decide housing and mental health treatment to restore competency.
The case against Virgilio Aguilar Mendez, a 19-year-old migrant from Guatemala accused of aggravated homicide of a Florida police officer, has been dismissed due to concerns about his intellectual capacity and recent ruling finding him mentally incompetent to stand trial. Aguilar Mendez, who primarily speaks the indigenous language Mam, was arrested after a struggle with the officer, who later died of a heart attack. His lawyer argued that he comes from a poor family and was raised in a home with a dirt floor, and that his mental incompetence is due to his lack of understanding of the American criminal justice system. Despite the dismissal of state charges, he will remain in federal custody pending deportation proceedings.
A US military judge at Guantanamo Bay has ruled that one of the defendants in the 9/11 attacks case, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, is unfit for trial due to sustained abuse rendering him lastingly psychotic. The judge's ruling means that the prosecution of al-Shibh's four co-defendants will continue without him. Al-Shibh, accused of organizing one cell of the hijackers, remains in custody. The case has faced logistical problems, high turnover, and legal challenges, with no trial date set. Al-Shibh's mental issues were linked to his torture and solitary confinement during his four years in CIA custody. Defense lawyers argue for physical and psychological care for the lasting effects of the torture. The ruling marks the first acknowledgment by the US government of the harm caused by the CIA's "programme of human experimentation."
A Japanese man, Shinji Aoba, has pleaded guilty to starting a fire at Kyoto Animation studio in 2019, which killed 36 people and injured 32 others. Aoba's defense lawyers are seeking an acquittal, citing mental incompetence, while prosecutors are likely to seek the death penalty. Aoba accused the studio of stealing his work, but the motive remains unclear. The trial is ongoing, and a verdict is expected in January 2023.
Johnny Johnson, a man convicted of abducting and beating 6-year-old Casey Williamson to death in 2002, is scheduled to be executed in Missouri. Johnson's attorneys argue that he is mentally incompetent, citing his schizophrenia and delusions. Despite appeals to block the execution, including a clemency request denied by Missouri Governor Mike Parson, the execution is set to proceed. Casey's family supports the execution, while Johnson's attorneys continue to question his competency. This would be the 16th execution in the U.S. this year.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson has rejected a clemency plea from Johnny Johnson, who is set to be executed for the abduction and murder of a 6-year-old girl in 2002. Johnson's attorneys argue that he is mentally incompetent, but various courts have rejected these claims. Parson stated that Johnson's crime was one of the most horrific murders he has encountered and hopes that the execution will provide closure for the victim's loved ones. Johnson's relatives have mixed opinions, with Casey's great aunt urging the governor to proceed with the execution. Johnson would be the fourth person executed in Missouri this year and the 16th nationally.
Kellye SoRelle, an attorney for the Oath Keepers and girlfriend of the group's leader, has been found mentally incompetent to stand trial for her charges related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The trial has been postponed indefinitely, and SoRelle will begin treatment near her home in Texas while both sides search for an inpatient hospital facility where she can be held for months to determine whether competence can be restored. SoRelle was charged with conspiracy, obstruction of a federal proceeding, tampering with documents, and misdemeanor trespassing in a restricted building or grounds.