Judge: Man incompetent to stand trial for killing officer
A man accused of fatally shooting an Indianapolis police officer two years ago has been found incompetent to stand trial.
mental health
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7th Circuit: Schizophrenia meets ‘severe impairment’ requirement for disability insurance
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that an undisputed diagnosis of schizophrenia should be considered a “severe impairment,” an opinion that will allow an Indiana man to have another chance to receive disability insurance benefits after he was forced to quit his job because of his mental illness.
Man who attacked officers not insane during incident
The Indiana Court of Appeals rejected a defendant’s claim that he was insane when he charged at, bit and spit at officers while he was in jail, but that his behavior was a result of his drug withdrawal.
COA finds no evidence of severe mental illness to prohibit pro se proceedings
A woman’s convictions for possession of controlled substances and operating a vehicle while intoxicated will stand after the Indiana Court of Appeals found Wednesday that she did not suffer from a severe mental illness that should have precluded her from proceeding pro se.
Report: Segregation can lead to increased symptoms of mental illness in inmates
A new report from an inmates-rights advocacy group is calling for fewer prison inmates to be placed in segregation based on research that shows that segregation can lead to a higher risk for mental illness.
Hinckley to move to mother’s home in Virginia
The man who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan 35 years ago will leave a Washington psychiatric hospital to live full-time in Virginia on Sept. 10, his lawyer said Thursday.
State seeks mental health, addiction professionals for symposium
State agencies hosting a September forum to raise awareness of mental illness and addiction are seeking professionals to discuss solutions at the eighth annual Indiana Annual Recovery Month Symposium Sept. 26-27.
Mistrial declared in Evansville man’s explosives case
A mistrial has been declared in the case of an Evansville man accused of setting a fire at his apartment and leaving a bomb near a restaurant last year.
Judge: Man should be civilly committed, not incarcerated
Indiana Court of Appeals Judge Paul Mathias again used an opinion to highlight problems he sees in the criminal justice system when dealing with defendants with mental health issues.
Plea agreement provision ‘constitutionally suspect,’ COA finds
A man who had taken steps to prepare for home detention but was committed for mental health reasons when he was to report to community corrections should not have been ordered to serve his sentence in the Department of Correction, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Friday.
Indianapolis police create behavioral health units
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has created behavioral health units pairing specially trained officers with mental health experts to find people in crisis and divert them to appropriate programs and services.
Panel looks at progress of criminal justice system overhaul
A group of experts from Indiana's judicial and legal system know they have their work cut out for them as they try to change the nature of the state's criminal justice system.
Mentally ill women should have attorney, 7th Circuit rules
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled a mentally ill woman who filed a federal lawsuit challenging her conviction and sentence for murder should have had a lawyer appointed to her and remanded the case to District Court.
Appellate court affirms denial of man’s insanity defense
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed Wednesday the denial of a man’s insanity defense after he was found guilty of two counts of attempted murder.
State plans to boost staffing for adult protection agency
State officials are planning to boost spending by $1.1 million for Indiana Adult Protective Services after complaints that the agency is understaffed to handle reports of possible abuse or neglect involving vulnerable adults.
Suit aims to strike down law barring vote by committed mentally ill
A proposed class-action lawsuit naming state election officials and the clerk of Jefferson County argues a 1995 state law preventing people committed to a state hospital from voting in local elections is unconstitutional.
Treatment of mentally ill prisoners changing
After more than seven years of litigation, the Indiana Department of Correction is instituting major changes by providing treatment and mostly eliminating solitary confinement for severally mentally ill prisoners.
Settlement restricts placing some mentally ill prisoners in solitary confinement
The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana and the Indiana Protection and Advocacy Services announced Wednesday the terms of a settlement with the Department of Correction over the treatment of seriously mentally ill prisoners in state correctional facilities.
Tippecanoe program aims to break cycle of incarceration
To stem the cycle of release and reincarceration and prevent people from committing new crimes when they leave jail, Tippecanoe County Jail is expanding mental health services and launching a program designed to help inmates develop healthy support networks in the community.
The juror experience: deliberating the verdict
Determining the final outcome of a case may bring about feelings of apprehension and stress, and leave jurors second-guessing their decision.