GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — A judge found probable cause to order a competency evaluation for Taylor Schabusiness, a Green Bay woman accused of killing and dismembering a man last month.
During a court hearing Thursday, legal representation for Schabusiness was also under discussion. There’s an attorney issue that will need to be resolved, as she has representation by a public defender and a different attorney hired by her family.
Schabusiness has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, and third-degree sexual assault.
Her public defender Quinn Jolly requested the competency hearing, expressing concern about her ability to stand trial.
“I’ve had numerous conversations with Ms.Schabusiness at this point and each time I still have the same concern about her ability to understand and assist in her defense in this case,” Jolly said during the hearing.
The judge cited her consent to be represented by two different attorneys as a cause for concern about her competency to stand trial when he ordered the competency evaluation.
A competency evaluation will determine if a defendant is mentally capable of understanding the trial proceedings and assist in their own defense.
“When a court will order a competency hearing they will order one or more experts to review and then the state and defense are able to engage with additional experts,” said Adam Stevenson, a clinical law professor at UW-Madison.
After those experts share their findings, the court will determine if Schabusiness is competent or if she has the ability to regain competency through treatment or medication. If the court decides a defendant cannot regain competency, Stevenson says the criminal proceedings cannot go on and the defendant cannot stand trial.
“Sometimes the criminal case may be dismissed but the individual is often taken through involuntary civil commitment proceedings and committed to a secure mental health facility,” Stevenson said.
