Latest news with #DepartmentofBehavioralHealthandDevelopmentalDisabilities
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Yahoo
Delayed justice? We've found hundreds of trials across GA on hold because of this one thing
Hundreds of trials across the state are currently on hold due to a backlog of people waiting to undergo pretrial mental health evaluations to determine if they are competent to stand trial. Channel 2's Michael Seiden found one murder victim's family has waited nearly three years for justice. 'I think the family's in agony. This is deeply painful for them,' attorney Lynne Borsuk said. Borsuk represents the family of Ellen Bowles, 77. They learned last week that the trial for the man accused of killing their loved one in 2022 inside her Buckhead townhome is on hold, at least for the next 60 days. It turns out that Antonio Brown is still waiting to undergo a court-ordered mental health evaluation, which will determine if he's competent to stand trial. RELATED STORIES: Man charged with killing 77-year-old Buckhead woman facing evaluation to see if he can stand trial Man accused of stabbing 77-year-old Buckhead woman to death had multiple previous arrests Suspect in 77-year-old woman's murder hasn't had his mental health evaluation yet As Brown continues to sit behind bars here at the Fulton County Jail, Seiden has learned that this is not an isolated issue. In fact, there are currently hundreds of Georgians waiting for the same test. According to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, there are currently 767 people awaiting pretrial evaluation. Right now, the average time to complete one in Fulton County is a little less than two months -- 52 days -- compared to the statewide average of 85 days. 'You can see those numbers have climbed over the last few years,' DBHDD Commissioner Kevin Tanner said last month as he testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Services. He told lawmakers that extra funding is imperative because backlogs have turned county jails into holding areas for people who may be mentally ill. 'You've probably all gotten a call from a sheriff,' Tanner told the subcommittee. In Fulton County, frustrated families like the Bowles are not interested in the politics. 'It was ordered 17 months ago, and the family is really in distress about this, and they would like to find out whether he's competent for trial and then move toward trial,' Borsuk said.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Yahoo
Delayed justice? We've found hundreds of trials across GA on hold because of this one thing
Hundreds of trials across the state are currently on hold due to a backlog of people waiting to undergo pretrial mental health evaluations to determine if they are competent to stand trial. Channel 2's Michael Seiden found one murder victim's family has waited nearly three years for justice. 'I think the family's in agony. This is deeply painful for them,' attorney Lynne Borsuk said. Borsuk represents the family of Ellen Bowles, 77. They learned last week that the trial for the man accused of killing their loved one in 2022 inside her Buckhead townhome is on hold, at least for the next 60 days. It turns out that Antonio Brown is still waiting to undergo a court-ordered mental health evaluation, which will determine if he's competent to stand trial. RELATED STORIES: Man charged with killing 77-year-old Buckhead woman facing evaluation to see if he can stand trial Man accused of stabbing 77-year-old Buckhead woman to death had multiple previous arrests Suspect in 77-year-old woman's murder hasn't had his mental health evaluation yet As Brown continues to sit behind bars here at the Fulton County Jail, Seiden has learned that this is not an isolated issue. In fact, there are currently hundreds of Georgians waiting for the same test. According to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, there are currently 767 people awaiting pretrial evaluation. Right now, the average time to complete one in Fulton County is a little less than two months -- 52 days -- compared to the statewide average of 85 days. 'You can see those numbers have climbed over the last few years,' DBHDD Commissioner Kevin Tanner said last month as he testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Services. He told lawmakers that extra funding is imperative because backlogs have turned county jails into holding areas for people who may be mentally ill. 'You've probably all gotten a call from a sheriff,' Tanner told the subcommittee. In Fulton County, frustrated families like the Bowles are not interested in the politics. 'It was ordered 17 months ago, and the family is really in distress about this, and they would like to find out whether he's competent for trial and then move toward trial,' Borsuk said.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Yahoo
Suspect in 77-year-old woman's murder hasn't had his mental health evaluation yet
Loved ones of a slain 77-year-old Buckhead woman faced the man accused of killing her in court Tuesday. The victim's family expressed their frustrations in their fight for justice. Channel 2′s Michael Seiden was inside the courtroom for a hearing for Antonio Brown, 25. The suspect is accused of stabbing Ellen Bowles to death inside her gated townhome community off West Paces Ferry Road in Dec. 2022. More than two years later, the case against Brown is stalled. It was revealed in the hearing that Brown is still waiting to undergo a mental health evaluation to determine if he is fit to stand trial. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] 'It was ordered 17 months ago, and the family is really in distress about this,' said Lynne Borsuk, the attorney for the Bowles' family. 'I think the family's in agony. This is deeply painful for them.' Brown's lawyer, Anthony Pete, told the court that his client was transported from the Fulton County Jail to a mental health facility, but for some unknown reason, no one performed the evaluation. Pete added that he tried to contact the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, which is the state agency that's in charge of conducting the evaluation and issuing the findings, but he hasn't been able to get any answers about his client's case. 'I have not been able to get in touch with anyone over there,' he told the judge. Bowles' family declined to comment on camera, citing the pending criminal case, but a family spokeswoman told Channel 2 Action News that this is not an isolated problem. 'It is my understanding that there's a 700 person backlog for mental health competency evaluation in the state's system,' said Borsuk. RELATED STORIES: 77-year-old Buckhead woman stabbed dozens of times, report reveals 'The most beautiful soul:' Son remembers 77-year-old mother stabbed to death outside her home 23-year-old arrested after 77-year-old woman found stabbed to death in Buckhead garage Judge Farmer said that he's also frustrated by the delays and vowed to expedite the process by issuing another order to the state. 'Both parties need closure,' he said. 'Your defendants don't need to sit for a long time and victims don't need to have justice delayed.' Seiden reached out to the state agency and a spokesperson sent the following statement: 'The Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities did receive a pretrial evaluation order in the case you cite,' wrote Kaleb McMichen, who serves as the executive director of external affairs. 'However, due to state and federal privacy laws, I am unable to comment any further. Our Office of General Counsel is reviewing the matter and will respond in an appropriate fashion.' [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
