Home > Local News > Mark Becker will undergo another psych evaluation

Local News

Mark Becker will undergo another psych evaluation

Posted on Aug 27, 2009 by Admin.

ALLISON — A judge has granted the state’s request to have a separate psychiatric evaluation conducted on Mark Becker on Friday, according to an order filed late this afternoon in Butler County District Court.

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

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

Second Judicial District Judge Stephen Carroll also set a probable cause hearing 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in Mason City. The hearing will determine if probable cause exists to have a compentency hearing, which is tentatively set 9:30 a.m. Sept. 10 in Mason City.


Print this article or

This website uses IntenseDebate comments, but they are not currently loaded because either your browser doesn't support JavaScript, or they didn't load fast enough.

5 Responses to “Mark Becker will undergo another psych evaluation”

  1. lovenotwar1234

    28. Aug, 2009

    I took an abnormal psych class at community college… Let me evaluate him. He's perfectly sane and committed premeditated murder. Simple as that.

    Reply to this comment
  2. lovenotwar1234

    28. Aug, 2009

    I took an abnormal psych cla.ss at community college. Let me evaluate him. He's perfectly sane and he committed premeditated murder. Simple as that.

    Reply to this comment
    • ctiger

      28. Aug, 2009

      If I had known that it took only one class, I could have saved myself all that time and money it took to get those sheepskins.
      Wait, I had a biology class, maybe I can practice medicine.

      Reply to this comment
  3. NomerBull

    28. Aug, 2009

    The defense's chosen psychiatrist had a crack at him; let the state's guy check him, too. Then the judge can decide which of the 2 docs is right and move the case forward accordingly.

    As long as they don't turn him loose and say "he WAS crazy but he's all better now that we treated him", we'll know the system is working.

    Reply to this comment
  4. Christopher

    29. Aug, 2009

    The real argument isn’t whether or not he was sane or not. Anyone that commits a crime is to a degree insane. That’s clear due to the utter impossibility of society where everyone is a criminal; it’s insane. The real concerns are: What was the real cause of the situation? The guy was using drugs, and drugs are known to cause dilusions and halucinations as well as homocidal and suicidal thoughts and actions. Did he willingly take those drugs? Sure. Was he tricked into thinking they would help him? Sure. It still doesn’t absolve him of resposibility for his actions. The only link anyone has to escape from responsibility for their actions is to plead insane. Remember the twinkie defense? Sure, if you don’t take care of your body, you’ll experience halucinations or other mental phenomena. I know of a guy that ate nothing but spagetti noodles and began experiencing some mental problems. But still, who is responsible? The guy who didn’t take care of himself!

    Reply to this comment

Leave a Reply