DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa judge has found a Texas woman competent to stand trial in a crash death case, but he’s also granted her request for another psychiatric evaluation.
The Quad-City Times reports that Judge Stuart Werling ruled Friday that 57-year-old Lauria Kelly of Alvarado, Texas, is fit for trial and can aid in her defense. Kelly has pleaded not guilty to a charge of homicide by vehicle-reckless driving in the Jan. 30 Davenport death of 53-year-old Cynthia Jones.
Werling also approved a request by Kelly’s lawyer for her to be evaluated again at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Oakdale. That evaluation will determine whether there are grounds for either a defense of insanity or diminished responsibility.