COMPETENCY EVALUATION 1

Competency Evaluation

Kendra L. Singleton

University of the Cumberlands

PSYC 434 - Forensic Psychology

Dr. Weiss

2023, June 18
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Competency Evaluation

A. Identifying Information

Our suspect is a 44 year old white male that is referred to as Mr. Simpson. He was

charged with assault and battery, as well as resisting arrest for hitting his elderly neighbor and

shouting that she deserved it. He also was accusing the jailers of plotting to kill him when he was

arrested. His brother has stated that Mr. Simpson has had a history of similar things like this for

over 22 years now. Mr. Simpson had been broken up with by a previous girlfriend and he tried to

report her as being kidnapped since someone else had now taken over her body and broke up

with him. He is showing clear signs of paranoia and forming conspiracies in his head, as well as

showing very angry and aggressive behaviors.

B. Records reviewed (and/or tests you would recommend administering)

I have read Mr. Simpson's history and have diagnosed him with Schizoaffective disorder

due to his paranoia, delusions, and aggressive behavior. The Cleveland Clinic breaks down what

schizoaffective disorder is by breaking the word into two different words. Schizo stands for

schizophrenia. “This brain disorder changed how a person thinks, acts, and expresses emotions.

It also affects how someone perceives reality and relates to others'' (Cleveland Clinic, 2021). The

last part of the word is affective which refers to a mood disorder, such as bipolar, where the

person has a sudden or severe change in their mood, energy, or behavior. I also will do some

medical tests such as “x-rays and blood tests to make sure the symptoms aren’t caused by

physical disease” (Better Health Channel, 2022). If the tests show no physical diseases, then after

reviewing the suspects full history, I am certain that he has schizoaffective disorder and will not

be considered competent enough to stand trial.

C. Family and Developmental History

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The only family that we are aware of is a brother who has stated different accounts of the

suspects odd behavior, paranoia, and delusions. The evidence also states that the suspect has a

family inheritance. No other family history is identified.

D. Educational and Vocational History

Mr. Simpson’s brother states that Mr. Simpson was an exceptional student and even went

to law school. He started out as great, and then his mental health ended up declining and the

more he became paranoid, the more his issues with school would happen. His grades began to

decline and he had several incidents at the school that led him to getting asked to leave the law

school to seek psychiatric help. He got a job shortly after as an investment counselor at a bank

for only seven months where he first reported that he was hearing voices and becoming

suspicious of his co-workers. He was eventually fired and has not worked since then.

E. Legal History

There appears to be no other legal history of Mr. Simpson other than the current charges

against him.

F. Medical History

He has no known medical history other than the hospital stays for his mental health.

G. Mental Health and Substance Abuse History

Mr. Simpson's first recommendation for being hospitalized was when he was asked to

leave law school when he was 22. He did not go to a hospital till he was 24. He has since been

hospitalized 12 times in the last 20 years, with his longest time of being in the hospital being

eight months. He was only hospitalized once in the last five years for a total of three weeks. He

was given antipsychotic drugs during his stay, and was prescribed antipsychotic drugs when he

left the hospital, but he does not continue to take the medicine once he leaves. This type of
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medication reduces the serious effects of his schizoaffective disorder and seems to improve his

overall state of mental health to where he is able to leave the hospital while on the antipsychotic

medication. Doctors at the National Library of Medicine state that the “nonadherence to the

treatment of SMI increases the risk of relapse and hospitalization and reduces the quality of life”

(Velligan, 2017). Mr. Simpson is putting himself and others at harm due to his inability to

continually take his medication.

H. Mental Status Examination

His current mental status is still very easily irritated due to getting angry with the police

that were bringing him in for the interview. He is still suffering from the delusions that the police

are plotting against him or conspiring to kill him. His paranoia is also present since he says that

he understands the severity of his trial but he thinks that the system is just “out to get him.”

I. Recounting of arrest

He was brought in by the police after his elderly neighbor called the police stating that

Mr. Simpson had struck her. It is reported that he kept repeating, “That damn ******,” which I

would assume to be a derogatory word for his neighbor. He even made a statement that “she and

the rest of them deserved more than that for what they put me though.” He also resisted the

officers when they were trying to arrest him. He was charged with assault, battery, and resisting

arrest. Due to his aggressive behavior he was kept in a private cell. The hours following the

arrest he shouted obscenities, threatened the jailers, and made crazy accusations that they were

plotting to have him killed. He was still very agitated at his arraignment the following morning

and would not cooperate with his attorney that was assigned to him. He accused his attorney of

being part of the plot to kill him. He did not enter a plea and the judge ordered an evaluation to

determine if he was competent to stand trial or not.

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J. Issues related to Competency (Fitness) to Stand Trial

Due to his diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, I would not deem the suspect as fit to

stand trial. He is capable of taking care of himself, providing for himself, but his manic episodes

due to his inability to manage his disorder with effective treatments such as therapy or

antipsychotic medications are causing him to become overly aggressive and harmful to society. I

would recommend having him sent to a hospital to seek proper care for this disorder in hopes

that once he is released, he will be able to continue taking his medications appropriately. If he is

unable to, then I would recommend a long-term facility treatment center.

K. Diagnostic Impressions

I have stated in part B what his diagnosis is, along with an explanation for it.

L. Conclusions

Although the suspect has stated that he understands the severity of this trial, he has been

uncooperative for many people, including his attorney. He has shown multiple times of being

very easily agitated and aggressive. He has proven himself to be paranoid and delusional from

his active conspiracies that everyone is out to get him or plotting to kill him. I have deemed Mr.

Simpson as incompetent to stand trial. He should be sent to a mental health facility to seek

treatment for his schizoaffective disorder so that he does not harm himself or other people.
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References

Better Health Channel. (2022, October 18). Schizoaffective Disorder. Victoria State Government.

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/schizoaffective-

disorder

Cleveland Clinic. (2021, May 24). Schizoaffective Disorder.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21544-schizoaffective-disorder

Velligan, D. I., Sajatovic, M., Hatch, A., Kramata, P., & Docherty, J. P. (2017). Why do

psychiatric patients stop antipsychotic medication? A systematic review of reasons for

nonadherence to medication in patients with serious mental illness. Patient preference and

adherence, 11, 449–468. https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S124658