image description

Md. bill aims to change law dropping charges against mentally ill defendants

February 16th, 2018 by WCBC Radio

A bill proposed in Annapolis aims to change how defendants who are determined incompetent to stand trial are prosecuted. WTOP reports the father of two missing Montgomery County children, who presumes they were killed by their mother, testified in favor of Senate Bill 579, which would allow a judge the discretion to delay dropping criminal charges to protect minors. “I don’t want to take anyone’s rights away; I just don’t want perpetrators to have any more rights than my children or anyone else’s,” said Troy Turner during his testimony in front of the Maryland Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. 

His 3-year-old daughter, Sarah, and 2-year-old son, Jacob, went missing in their mother’s care in September 2014. Since then, doctors have declared the mother, Catherine Hoggle, not competent to stand trial. However, if that assessment remains unchanged, the murder charges against her will be dropped after five years, according to current law.

Turner expressed concerns over the safety of his 9-year-old son, whom he shares with Hoggle, if she is released.

Hoggle, who was indicted on murder charges in 2017, has expressed she wants the charges dropped.

 

Leave a Reply