Court orders inpatient commitment for Cecilia Delaney after competency reports
Summary
After receiving competency restoration reports from inpatient evaluators, the court found Cecilia Delaney not competent to stand trial and ordered inpatient commitment for restoration not to exceed one year because no outpatient restoration option exists locally.
The presiding judge reviewed competency reports from the John Dunn Behavioral Science Center and forensic evaluations and concluded that Cecilia Delaney remains incompetent to stand trial. The reports — including evaluations by Dr. Mary Ann Robinson and a forensic psychiatry report — found Delaney’s mental illness to be severe and persistent and assessed that, without treatment, she would deteriorate and be unable to function independently.
The court noted that Jefferson County lacks an outpatient competency‑restoration program or jail‑based restoration resources. Given that absence and the severity of the findings, the judge ordered inpatient commitment for competency restoration for a period not to exceed one year and instructed the clerk to place Delaney at an appropriate inpatient facility for restoration. The court said it would receive reports if restoration occurs earlier and then schedule a hearing.
The order tracks the forensic findings and the statutory framework the court relied on to make an inpatient‑commitment decision when outpatient options are unavailable.
