Friday, May 28, 2004
The defendant said she is more sane and intelligent than the judge.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A psychiatrist says Mildred Battles is not mentally competent to stand trial in the stabbing of her granddaughter, but the 74-year-old Austintown woman says she is fine.
"There is nothing wrong with my mind," an irritated Battles told Judge Maureen A. Cronin during a hearing Thursday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. "I'm more sound than you are. I'm more intelligent than you are."
Despite Battles' protests, Judge Cronin ordered her to be taken to a Cleveland-area psychiatric hospital, where she will undergo treatment aimed at making her competent to stand trial.
A county grand jury indicted Battles in March on charges of attempted murder and felonious assault in the Feb. 6 stabbing of her 7-year-old granddaughter, Zabrina Battles.
The girl was found in the Westchester Drive apartment she shared with her mother, Zipporah Coates, and Battles. She had three stab wounds to her chest. Police found a blood-stained knife sticking out of a stuffed animal in her bedroom.
Zabrina was hospitalized for her wounds but recovered and is in foster care.
Requested evaluation
At the request of Battles' lawyer, Paul Scarsella, Battles was evaluated to determine whether she is mentally competent to stand trial.
Judge Cronin said the evaluation report indicates that Battles does not understand the nature of the charges against her, nor does she understand the nature of legal proceedings against her. To that end, she was declared incompetent for trial.
Battles was in court with her legs shackled together and with her hands cuffed to a chain around her waist. She shook her head and became upset at being told she was going to a hospital.
"Why don't I have anything to say about this?" she said, looking first at the judge and then at relatives in the back of the courtroom. "You are taking my freedom away."
If Battles is restored to competency through treatment within one year, she can be tried on the charges. But Assistant Prosecutor Dawn Krueger said it's not likely that she will be made competent.
If Battles is eventually tried and convicted, she could be sentenced up to 18 years in prison. If she is not restored to competency, the court could declare her innocent of the charges by reason of insanity.
bjackson@vindy.com