Nevada Supreme Court orders new competency hearings
CARSON CITY — The Nevada Supreme Court ruled today that Clark County District Judge Jackie Glass was wrong last year in blocking public defenders from challenging her decisions on whether defendants are mentally competent to stand trial.
In two decisions, the justices ordered Glass to vacate her prior decisions and conduct new competency hearings.
At the time, Glass was operating District Court’s twice-a-week competency court.
Public defender Howard Brooks hailed the high court's decision, saying “you cannot make a competency decision without hearing from the defense.”
Brooks said public defenders talk with their clients and “to totally exclude us from competency decisions is wrong.”
Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.
