United States v. Keeven

115 F. Supp. 2d 1132, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15502, 2000 WL 1514879
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Missouri
DecidedAugust 24, 2000
Docket499CR0445SNL(MLM)
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 115 F. Supp. 2d 1132 (United States v. Keeven) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Keeven, 115 F. Supp. 2d 1132, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15502, 2000 WL 1514879 (E.D. Mo. 2000).

Opinion

115 F.Supp.2d 1132 (2000)

UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff,
v.
Laura KEEVEN, Defendant.

No. 499CR0445SNL(MLM).

United States District Court, E.D. Missouri, Eastern Division.

August 24, 2000.

*1133 Janis C. Good, Federal Public Defender, St. Louis, MO, for Laura Keevan, defendant.

Thomas J. Mehan, Office of U.S. Atty., St. Louis, MO, for U.S.

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER OF UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

MEDLER, United States Magistrate Judge.

This matter is before the court for review of defendant, Laura Keeven's, appeal of the results of an administrative hearing held pursuant to 28 C.F.R. § 549.43 regarding the issue of defendant's involuntary medication because she is a danger to herself and others and in order to render her competent to stand trial.

Procedural Background

Defendant is a forty-two year old white female. She is charged by Indictment filed October 14, 1999 with Possession of a Firearm after having been previously convicted of the felony of Murder, Second Degree. On October 28, 1999, defendant made an initial appearance and counsel, Ms. Janis Good, was appointed. On October 29, 1999, defendant was arraigned. On November 19, 1999, the government made a motion for a psychiatric examination to determine the competency of defendant to stand trial and to determine whether she was insane on the date of the alleged offense. That same date, this court granted the motion pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ 4241 and 4242 and defendant was transported to the medical center for federal prisoners in Carswell, Texas ("FMC Carswell"). On February 18, 2000, the court received a Forensic Evaluation pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 4247(b) and (c) from Dr. James A. Shadduck at FMC Carswell. The report, which is incorporated by reference, stated defendant's diagnosis to be Schizophrenia, Paranoid Type and Schizoid Personality Disorder (Premorbid). The examiner's prognosis was as follows:

Ms. Keeven's prognosis is poor. She clearly is suffering from a chronic and severe mental disease and has no insight into her condition. She had apparently responded positively to treatment efforts in the past, but she has been noncompliant with voluntary treatment recommendations. Ms. Keeven has been involuntarily hospitalized on two occasions and her symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia have become worse in the past two years. Her hallucinations and delusions caused her to engage in inappropriate and dangerous acts. Ms. Keeven is currently incapable of complying with voluntary treatment recommendations and without adequate treatment, her condition will continue to deteriorate. Ms. Keeven requires inpatient treatment, *1134 and she will likely need extensive monitoring and supervision for the foreseeable future. Without such steps, Ms. Keeven is likely to continue to behave in a dangerous manner.

Doctor Shadduck's Forensic Evaluation at 11-12.

The examiner concluded defendant is suffering from a severe mental disease which renders her mentally incompetent to the extent that she is unable to understand the nature and consequences of the proceedings against her or to assist properly in her defense. In addition, she was suffering from this severe mental disease at the time of the acts constituting the offense charged and as a result of this disease, defendant was unable to appreciate the nature, quality, and wrongfulness of her acts. Id. at 12.[1]

On February 29, 2000, defendant objected to the examiner's findings and moved for an independent psychiatric examination by a doctor selected by defendant's counsel. The court granted defendant's Motion and on May 30, 2000 received a Forensic Psychological Evaluation prepared by Dr. Richard G. Scott, which is incorporated by reference. Dr. Scott concluded that defendant suffers from Schizophrenia, Paranoid Type, Continuous. "The defendant presently manifests significant disturbances in the form and content of her thinking, prominent paranoia and delusions. She also may experience hallucinations." Dr. Scott's Forensic Psychological Examination at 4. Dr. Scott agreed with Dr. Shadduck that as a result of mental disease, the defendant lacks the capacity to understand the legal proceedings against her or to assist in her defense. Id.[2]

On June 2, 2000, the court held a Competency Hearing at which defendant was present and represented by counsel, Ms. *1135 Janis Good. The court took judicial notice of the reports of Drs. Shadduck and Scott. At the hearing, defendant appeared totally out of control. She shouted out repeatedly, insisted Ms. Good did not represent her and made scathing remarks concerning Ms. Good's representation and the court's authority. She made bizarre accusations of inhumane treatment she has received in the St. Louis County Justice Center. It was necessary that the United States Marshals restrain her when she became violent. From a thorough review of the forensic reports and the opinions contained therein, the court found by a preponderance of the evidence that defendant is presently suffering from a mental disease or defect rendering her mentally incompetent to the extent that she is unable to understand the nature and consequences of the proceedings against her or to assist properly in her defense.

Therefore, the court ordered pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 4241(d) that defendant be committed to the custody of the Attorney General for hospitalization and treatment in a suitable facility for such reasonable period of time, not to exceed four (4) months as necessary to determine whether there is a substantial probability that in the foreseeable future she will attain the capacity to permit the trial to begin. The court further ordered:

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that while hospitalized, the defendant shall receive medical and psychiatric treatment and medication if such treatment and medication is deemed appropriate by medical personnel at the facility, except that if defendant requires medical and psychiatric treatment and medication and if defendant objects and refuses such treatment and medication and is therefore entitled to an administrative hearing, that counsel is to be notified of the time and place of the administrative hearing, independent of her client. The director of the medical facility in which the defendant is hospitalized shall notify counsel as follows: Janis Good, Federal Public Defender, 1010 Market Street, Suite 200, St. Louis, Missouri 63101(314)241-1255.

Court Order Doc. # 26. Defendant was then returned to FMC Carswell. The medical staff and her treating physicians determined that she posed a danger to herself and others and that she required medication in order to control her symptoms. Defendant refused to consent to the medication. An administrative hearing was therefore necessary. Pursuant to 28 C.F.R. § 549.43(a)(1), which requires twenty-four hour advance written notice of the hearing, defendant was given a "Notice of Medication Hearing and Advisement of Rights" which stated in pertinent part:

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Bluebook (online)
115 F. Supp. 2d 1132, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15502, 2000 WL 1514879, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-keeven-moed-2000.