Man Accused of Killing Jacksonville Firefighter Found Mentally Unfit to Stand Trial
By: Lauren Trager, KARK 4 News
Updated: August 21, 2012
The man accused of killing a Jacksonville firefighter and wounding two others has been found mentally unfit to stand trial.
The Arkansas State Hospital released a mental evaluation on Bryce Allen Monday. The report says Allen has a mental disease and is unable to have a trial at this time. Specifically, the evaluator said Allen "lacks the capacity to understand the proceedings against him and effectively assist his attorney in his own defense." His official diagnosis, according to the report, is Bipolar Disorder with Psychotic Features.
Further, the report says Allen experiences paranoia. An evaluator wrote: "Mr. Allen's presentation during this evaluation indicated themes of persecution that impaired his ability to rationally consider his legal situation. He appeared to tie racist ideology to a belief that he could receive the death penalty; this was not a realistic appraisal of his current legal situation."
Allen is in the process of being committed to the State Hospital. Pulaski County Prosecutor Jegley says his mental state will be reassessed in June, 2013. Jegley hopes the hospital can treat and rehabilitate him so Allen may be able to stand trial at a later date.
As he was leaving a crowded courtroom Monday, Allen smiled and waved at his family members.
More than a dozen other people attended in support of Capt. Donald Jones who was killed. They declined to talk with KARK after court. Jegley says he and family members are all very disappointed in the decision.
Allen was accused of killing Capt. Jones and injuring Jacksonville Police Officer Daniel DiMatteo and Jacksonville firefighter Jason Bowmaster in March after he crashed into them as they worked an accident involving Allen's mother.
See below for a full copy of Allen's mental evaluation.
Click here to read how Allen was accused of a similar crime in Ohio in October, 2011.
Click here to read our coverage on Allen's past history of mental health issues.
Click here for more information on how Allen was out of state care on a conditional release program at the time of his accused crime in Jacksonville.
The Arkansas State Hospital released a mental evaluation on Bryce Allen Monday. The report says Allen has a mental disease and is unable to have a trial at this time. Specifically, the evaluator said Allen "lacks the capacity to understand the proceedings against him and effectively assist his attorney in his own defense." His official diagnosis, according to the report, is Bipolar Disorder with Psychotic Features.
Further, the report says Allen experiences paranoia. An evaluator wrote: "Mr. Allen's presentation during this evaluation indicated themes of persecution that impaired his ability to rationally consider his legal situation. He appeared to tie racist ideology to a belief that he could receive the death penalty; this was not a realistic appraisal of his current legal situation."
Allen is in the process of being committed to the State Hospital. Pulaski County Prosecutor Jegley says his mental state will be reassessed in June, 2013. Jegley hopes the hospital can treat and rehabilitate him so Allen may be able to stand trial at a later date.
As he was leaving a crowded courtroom Monday, Allen smiled and waved at his family members.
More than a dozen other people attended in support of Capt. Donald Jones who was killed. They declined to talk with KARK after court. Jegley says he and family members are all very disappointed in the decision.
Allen was accused of killing Capt. Jones and injuring Jacksonville Police Officer Daniel DiMatteo and Jacksonville firefighter Jason Bowmaster in March after he crashed into them as they worked an accident involving Allen's mother.
See below for a full copy of Allen's mental evaluation.
Click here to read how Allen was accused of a similar crime in Ohio in October, 2011.
Click here to read our coverage on Allen's past history of mental health issues.
Click here for more information on how Allen was out of state care on a conditional release program at the time of his accused crime in Jacksonville.
Comments
So now what? In the event that he is actually unfit to stand trial, he should be institutionalized for life so as not to pose a threat to society. He was in a similar incident in Ohio but was allowed to get behind the wheel and kill a Jacksonville firefighter. Firefighting, EMS, and Law Enforcement are dangerous enough occupations without having to deal with murderers like this.
Bill B.
August 21, 2012 at 7:56 am
If the man was fit enough to be driving a vehicle then he is fit enough to stand trial for the laws he broke in using that vehicle. This is an injustice to Capt. Jones and his family!
Koyt K.
August 20, 2012 at 11:20 pm
they need to take him out and string him up and let him suffer before he dies very painfully, im so sick and tired of people doing things like this and getting off because they claim to have a history of mental illness, if he was they sick then he should have been in an istitution without the chance of ever getting out and if his family cant pay for it then lock him up in a real prison and let the inmates do with him what they will
lloyd b.
August 20, 2012 at 3:23 pm
That is [censored]. If he was able to drive a vehicle that killed one person and injuried two other people then he is able to stand trail and get what is coming to him. I say let the family members get ahold of him.
Heather H.
August 20, 2012 at 3:03 pm
