WOODLAND, Calif. — A Yolo County Superior Court judge Friday found an accused person incompetent to stand trial, but delays in the evaluation process left the individual in custody awaiting mental health treatment despite evidence of ongoing competency concerns.
During a mental competency hearing in Yolo County Superior Court Friday, Judge Stephen Mock found the accused incompetent to stand trial after Deputy Public Defender Andrea Pelochino stated that a court-appointed doctor was “not notified” to evaluate the accused, delaying the process while the accused remained in custody.
The accused appeared before Judge Stephen Mock on a felony vandalism charge, where the issue before the court was whether the accused was competent to stand trial. Deputy Public Defender Andrea Pelochino asked the court to find the accused incompetent, while Deputy District Attorney Aimee McLeod submitted the matter.
Deputy Public Defender Pelochino informed the court that the accused had already “been sitting in custody for some time,” while competency concerns were being addressed. She pointed to an earlier involuntary medication hearing, where testimony had been presented “confirming” the accused suffered from mental illness affecting his ability to participate in the hearings.
According to Deputy Public Defender Pelochino, the delay in reaching a competency determination was compounded when a second court-appointed doctor was not informed that the accused was ready to be evaluated. “Dr. Gill was not notified,” she said, explaining that the doctor therefore “did not attempt to evaluate him again.”
Deputy Public Defender Pelochino further argued that the accused’s earlier refusal to cooperate was “part of the underlying mental condition, and not some willful effort to thwart the system,” and urged the court to rely on prior testimony so the accused could move forward in the process and receive treatment “sooner rather than later.”
Deputy District Attorney Aimee McLeod agreed the matter could be submitted, noting prior proceedings made it “pretty clear” there was sufficient basis to find the accused incompetent.
Judge Mock ultimately agreed, finding the accused suffers from a mental condition that affects the ability to “assess his situations” and “cooperate with counsel,” and ruled the accused incompetent to stand trial. The court suspended proceedings and referred the accused for placement through the Conditional Release Program.
Despite the finding, the accused was not released or transferred immediately. Instead, the accused was ordered to remain in custody with bail set at $1,000 while awaiting placement.
When Deputy Public Defender Pelochino requested a shorter return date to the court, Judge Mock declined, stating the court did not want individuals brought back when “nothing productive is done,” and set the matter four weeks out.
The accused will remain in custody until a treatment placement becomes available, with the case set to return April 24 for placement review.
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Categories: Breaking News Court Watch Northern California Court Watch Vanguard Court Watch Yolo County Tags: CONREP court delays Mental Competency Mental Health Treatment Pretrial Detention Yolo County Superior Court