Proving mental fitness in parade trial could prove difficult
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Legal experts say defense attorneys could have a difficult time proving that the woman charged with murder in the Oklahoma State University homecoming parade crash that killed four people and injured dozens is incompetent to stand trial.
Twenty-five year old Adacia Chambers is charged with four counts of second-degree murder and 46 assault counts in the Oct. 24 crash in Stillwater. She's been ordered to have a psychological examination.
Prosecutors say Chambers acted intentionally in the crash. Her defense attorney claims she's mentally ill and incapable of understanding the charges against her or assisting with her own defense.
University of Pittsburgh School of Law professor David A. Harris says even defendants with mental illnesses can still be ruled competent.