State Of Washington v. Akeem I. Slye

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedDecember 22, 2020
Docket53048-1
StatusUnpublished

This text of State Of Washington v. Akeem I. Slye (State Of Washington v. Akeem I. Slye) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State Of Washington v. Akeem I. Slye, (Wash. Ct. App. 2020).

Opinion

Filed Washington State Court of Appeals Division Two

December 22, 2020

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

DIVISION II STATE OF WASHINGTON, No. 53048-1-II

Appellant,

v.

AKEEM ISRAEL SLYE, UNPUBLISHED OPINION

Respondent.

LEE, C.J. — The State appeals the trial court’s order dismissing charges against Akeem I.

Slye without prejudice. The State argues the trial court erred by finding that the State lacked a

good faith basis to believe that Slye would be able to be restored to competency when it refiled the

criminal charges against Slye. The State also argues the trial court erred by concluding no further

restoration periods were available in this case when that issue was not a subject of the motion

before the trial court.

Because the State did not have a good faith basis to refile the information, the trial court

did not err in dismissing the charges without prejudice. Therefore, whether the trial court erred by

making conclusions regarding further restoration periods is moot. We affirm.

FACTS

In January 2018, the State charged Slye with first degree rape of a child, two counts of first

degree child molestation, and attempted first degree child molestation. The trial court ordered a

competency evaluation based on Slye’s developmental disability. No. 53048-1-II

Dr. Ray Hendrickson conducted Slye’s competency evaluation. Dr. Hendrickson

diagnosed Slye with a mild intellectual disability, language disorder, and social (pragmatic)

communication disorder. Dr. Hendrickson noted that Slye had previously been evaluated by

forensic staff at the Child Study and Treatment Center (CSTC) in 2014 and 2015 based on pending

juvenile court charges. After a 90-day restoration period, CSTC staff concluded that restoration

was not likely and that Slye was not likely to benefit from further competency restoration

treatment.

Throughout his assessment, Dr. Hendrickson noted that Slye did not know many terms

associated with criminal charges, but after an explanation was able to recall some of the

information. Slye also presented with only a limited understanding of court personnel and criminal

trials. Generally, Slye exhibited limited ability to meaningfully interact with his attorney,

understand his attorney’s advice, or ask questions about things he did not understand. Based on

his evaluation of Slye, Dr. Hendrickson opined,

While Mr. Slye may have a limited ability to have a factual understanding of his charges and to a lesser extent, court proceedings, his ability to have a rational understanding of court proceedings was significantly limited. Due to his continuing cognitive limitations, he would likely be unable to work with his attorney to assist in his defense.

In conclusion, Mr. Slye presents with symptoms of a mental disease or defect that significantly impair his ability to have a rational understanding of the court proceedings he faces. These symptoms also significantly impair his ability to consult with his attorney with a reasonable degree of rational understanding. He would likely be unable to work with and assist his attorney in his defense.

Clerk’s Papers (CP) at 24 (emphasis in original).

2 No. 53048-1-II

Dr. Hendrickson had “considerable doubt” about whether restoration treatment would

result in any improvement of Slye’s condition. CP at 24. Dr. Hendrickson explained,

I note that after a 90-day restoration period at CSTC in 2015, he exhibited no significant improvement. Restoration procedures at [Western State Hospital] WSH would be essentially identical to CSTC procedures, and would include education about court proceedings and working with his attorney.

CP at 24. However, Dr. Hendrickson recognized that because Slye had matured since his last

restoration treatment, it was possible that “with repetitious explanation of concepts, he could

improve to the level of being able to consult with his attorney with a reasonable degree of rational

understanding.” CP at 24.

The trial court found that Slye was not competent to stand trial. The court ordered a 90-

day competency restoration treatment period.

In July 2018, Dr. Johnathan Sharrette performed another competency evaluation following

Slye’s restoration treatment period. Dr. Sharrette’s observations of Syle’s understanding of the

legal system were consistent with Dr. Hendrickson’s observations. Dr. Sharrette opined that Slye

was not competent to stand trial. Dr. Sharrette also opined that further restoration treatment was

not recommended. Dr. Sharrette explained,

[Slye’s] deficits are not amenable to treatment with psychiatric medication; they are due to cognitive limitation. Additional time and effort are not likely to increase his understanding of competency-related information. His language and intellectual deficits are long-standing and well-documented. After approximately fifteen years of special education and assistance, his language deficits persist, and will not likely improve in the limited amount of time offered by the law. In speaking with his psychiatrist, there is no available psychiatric treatment available that would improve his cognitive or verbal skills.

CP at 149.

3 No. 53048-1-II

The trial court found that Slye continued to be incompetent to stand trial. The court also

found that Slye was unlikely to regain competency and further treatment was not likely to restore

competency. As a result, the court dismissed the charges without prejudice. Following dismissal,

Slye was civilly committed at WSH.

In November 2018, the State refiled the information, charging Slye with first degree rape

of a child, two counts of first degree child molestation, and attempted first degree child

molestation. The State included a supplemental declaration of probable cause with the refiled

information. The State declared,

These charges were dismissed on July 9, 2018 after the court found the defendant incompetent. The court referred the defendant to Western State Hospital to be evaluated for civil commitment pursuant to RCW 71.05, as required by statute. The defendant has been at Western State Hospital since then. The State was notified on September 21, 2018 that the defendant could qualify for temporary unescorted leaves into the community and that the State would receive 10 days’ notice prior to any authorized leave. The State did not receive that particular notice, however, on October 8, 2018 the State was informed that although the defendant’s civil commitment under RCW 71.05 does not expire March, 2019, the defendant does not have a mental health diagnosis and is not on medication, therefore he does not meet the criteria to remain at Western State and Western State would be moving toward discharging him into the community prior to the expiration of the civil commitment period. . . . As Western State feels that it does not have a basis for keeping the defendant through his civil commitment period, and because the defendant could be released into the community very soon, the State is refiling these charges.

CP at 179.

The trial court ordered another competency evaluation. In December 2018, Dr. Sharrette

completed a new competency evaluation for Slye. Dr. Sharrette’s opinions after completing the

competency evaluation was substantially similar to the outcome of Slye’s two prior evaluations.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State v. Ortiz
706 P.2d 1069 (Washington Supreme Court, 1985)
West v. Thurston County
275 P.3d 1200 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2012)
State v. Carneh
203 P.3d 1073 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2009)
State v. Erickson
225 P.3d 948 (Washington Supreme Court, 2010)
State v. Carneh
149 Wash. App. 402 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2009)
State v. Mason
285 P.3d 154 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2012)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
State Of Washington v. Akeem I. Slye, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-of-washington-v-akeem-i-slye-washctapp-2020.