'No support' for insanity plea in Pierson case
Lead Summary
By
Caitlin Forsha-crforsha@gmail.com
Matthew Kaleb Pierson appeared in Highland County Common Pleas Court Monday morning for a hearing on evaluation.
While the evaluation was confidential, Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss told Pierson and his attorneys, J.D. Wagoner and Bruce Wallace, that there is "no support" for an insanity plea.
As previously reported in The Highland County Press, Pierson, then 18, is facing a felony charge of aggravated murder in the Aug. 12, 2012 death of his 5-year-old niece at a home in Jackson Township.
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A motion was filed in November 2012 for a psychiatric evaluation to determine Pierson's competency to stand trial. After an evaluation was performed, the court ordered Pierson to undergo treatment to restore competency.
On May 17, an order was issued to evaluate Pierson's mental condition. A confidential evaluation was returned June 7 by the office of Dr. James Hagen of Floyd Simantel Clinic.
A motion to suppress hearing is scheduled for July 1 at 2 p.m. Coss set a final pretrial date for Aug. 6 at 2:30 p.m., with a trial date slated for Aug. 19.
Coss explained to Pierson that Ohio law states that a person must be tried within 270 days of their arrest, but due to various motions by attorneys and the time allotted to determine evaluation results, it would be advisable in his case to wait. Pierson indicated that he understood and signed a waiver.
Coss said that he "would anticipate up to a day" for jury selection for Pierson's trial and said that he may subpoena two sets of jurors as he did in the "capital trial" [Wesley Coonrod case].
While the evaluation was confidential, Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss told Pierson and his attorneys, J.D. Wagoner and Bruce Wallace, that there is "no support" for an insanity plea.
As previously reported in The Highland County Press, Pierson, then 18, is facing a felony charge of aggravated murder in the Aug. 12, 2012 death of his 5-year-old niece at a home in Jackson Township.
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A motion was filed in November 2012 for a psychiatric evaluation to determine Pierson's competency to stand trial. After an evaluation was performed, the court ordered Pierson to undergo treatment to restore competency.
On May 17, an order was issued to evaluate Pierson's mental condition. A confidential evaluation was returned June 7 by the office of Dr. James Hagen of Floyd Simantel Clinic.
A motion to suppress hearing is scheduled for July 1 at 2 p.m. Coss set a final pretrial date for Aug. 6 at 2:30 p.m., with a trial date slated for Aug. 19.
Coss explained to Pierson that Ohio law states that a person must be tried within 270 days of their arrest, but due to various motions by attorneys and the time allotted to determine evaluation results, it would be advisable in his case to wait. Pierson indicated that he understood and signed a waiver.
Coss said that he "would anticipate up to a day" for jury selection for Pierson's trial and said that he may subpoena two sets of jurors as he did in the "capital trial" [Wesley Coonrod case].