Public Safety

Prosecutors want separate psychiatric examination of Mark Becker

Posted on Aug 26, 2009 by Admin.

ALLISON — Prosecutors today asked for a separate psychiatric examination of Mark Becker and for a hearing to determine if the 24-year-old is competent to stand trial.

Becker, of Parkersburg, is accused of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Aplington-Parkersburg football coach Ed Thomas on June 24.

His attorney on Tuesday filed a motion arguing Becker was incompetent to stand trial because of mental disorders.

Prosecutors — Butler County Attorney Greg Lievens and Assistant Attorney General Scott D. Brown — on Wednesday filed a motion saying they were unopposed to suspending trial proceedings until probable cause could be determined.

The prosecutors asked the court to authorize a separate psychiatric examination of the defendant by Dr. Michael Taylor.

The defense evaluation was completed by Dr. Dan Rogers, who said Becker suffers hallucinations and has difficulty distinguishing reality from fantasy. Becker has been diagnosed in the past with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, mood swings, agitation, irritability and psychotic symptoms, Rogers reported.

Prosecutors asked that a hearing to determine Becker’s competency be held Sept. 8 or Sept. 9.

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11 Responses to “Prosecutors want separate psychiatric examination of Mark Becker”

Thenewsman

26. Aug, 2009

If he was suffering from all these symptoms why was he not in a menatal ward. Furthmore why was he released from the hospital after leading police on a chase before he murdered the coach?

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- ctiger
  
  26. Aug, 2009
  
  Those are good questions. Maybe there will even be answers, for all the good it'll do now.
  
  Reply to this comment
- Jesus33
  
  26. Aug, 2009
  
  He would have met someone like you so he decided prison would be better. Poor guy must have read you posts.
  
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Bud_Heavy

26. Aug, 2009

I say let the family of coach Ed Thomas give him a psychiatric evaluation.

Reply to this comment
- ctiger
  
  26. Aug, 2009
  
  The Thomas family has publicly stated their support for Mark and his family. They know what happened was not deliberate.
  
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  - Bud_Heavy
    
    26. Aug, 2009
    
    Seemed pretty deliberate to me. I wouldnt be so understanding.
    
    Reply to this comment
    - ctiger
      
      26. Aug, 2009
      
      I guess they know the situation better than you do. They do appear to have the intelligence to make the right decisions for themselves.
      
      Reply to this comment
      - Bud_Heavy
        
        26. Aug, 2009
        
        You judge by appearance?
Jesus33

26. Aug, 2009

God bless you and have mercy on your troubled soul Mark Becker. Bless the Becker family as they are victims as not so well.

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Jesus33

26. Aug, 2009

To Thenewsman, You should know how this protocol works. How can you be so ignorant and profess to be 'Thenewsman'? You are quite ego driven it is clear to see. Oh, I get it; you are the beginning and the end of all that is real… LOL Toy, toy, toy and annoy.

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ctiger

26. Aug, 2009

I judge that they are better qualified to judge than you and I.

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