Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Defense


OK this sounds mucho better.


Good call Judge Richardson!


He's a good Judge and deserves re-election.


Man not competent to defend self
Express-News -

A Bexar County judge on Monday found Richard Jett unable to effectively undertake his own defense in the 2006 stabbing death of 80-year-old Homer Lee Daniels.

Bert Richardson , 379th District Court judge, made the ruling after a court-appointed doctor earlier had testified that Jett, 50, was competent to stand trial. Richardson concluded Jett still was burdened with mental illnesses that would have hindered him during the trial, scheduled to begin today.

Richardson originally had been proceeding under the assumption that Jett would represent himself, but the evidence and Jett's courtroom behavior changed that.

The judge cited recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court and a Texas appellate court.

Jett's trial was delayed from last week after he removed his clothes and soiled them in a holding cell toilet, and threatened his court-appointed lawyers. On Monday, Jett appeared catatonic, shackled to a wheelchair.