LEXINGTON — A Fayette Circuit Court judge ordered Friday that former state Rep. Steve Nunn undergo mental evaluation to determine if he is competent to assist in his own defense.
Judge Pamela Goodwine said the evaluation should take place as soon as possible. It will take four to six weeks for the results to be completed.
Nunn, 57, is accused of killing his former fiancee, Amanda Ross. Ross, 29, was shot to death Sept. 11 outside her home in downtown Lexington.
London attorney Warren Scoville, who represents Nunn, requested in a motion filed in Fayette Circuit Court Monday that his client undergo a mental evaluation to determine if he is competent to assist in preparing for his criminal trial. According to the motion, Nunn's "physical and mental health have deteriorated to a point that he is unable at this time to assist in the preparation of his defense."
In September, Fayette District Judge Julie Muth Goodman ordered that Nunn be evaluated by Bluegrass Comprehensive Care in the Fayette County jail to determine whether he was criminally responsible when Ross was killed. Nunn was then transferred to the La Grange facility for a 30-day psychiatric evaluation, but Fayette Circuit Judge Thomas Clark set aside the district court decision and ordered Nunn to be returned to the Fayette County jail. Commonwealth's Attorney Ray Larson filed the motion to stop that evaluation because he said it was premature.
Nunn is also at the center of a wrongful-death lawsuit filed in late September by Ross's mother, Diana Ross.
Read more at Kentucky.com
Comments