Patient who shattered glass at Elliot Hospital to receive psychiatric care
Jul. 12—An Elliot Hospital patient who shattered glass at a nursing station with an oxygen tank will spend the next five years under state psychiatric care, Hillsborough County prosecutors announced.
A Hillsborough County Probate Court judge last week approved the involuntary commitment of Manchester resident Peter Stebbins, 33, to the state Secure Psychiatric Unit (SPU), said Shawn Sweeney, the first assistant in the Manchester office of Hillsborough County Attorney John Coughlin.
Meanwhile, Sweeney said Coughlin's office has developed a pool of psychiatrists to consult on criminal cases and issue reports about competency and dangerousness.
The office moved to create the pool following revelations in May following the alleged rape of a woman by a man who was released from jail days earlier. Amuri Diole was released after Coughlin's office could not find a psychiatrist to examine him for possible commitment to the SPU.
Sweeney said a prosecutor has worked full-time to develop the pool.
"It has not been easier to find (forensic psychiatrists), but we have put a lot more effort of putting together a pool of resources to get these evaluations done," Sweeney said. He did not have an exact number of psychiatrists in the pool.
Commitment of a person charged with a crime usually follows a two-step process.
A trial judge must determine whether a defendant is competent to stand trial. If the judge determines a defendant is not mentally capable of understanding what is going on at trial or assisting in his defense, prosecutors cannot go to trial.
But they can file papers in Probate Court to have the defendant committed.
That's what took place last week regarding Stebbins.
A homeless man, Stebbins was arrested in March at the Elliot Hospital. According to police, Stebbins was a patient on the fourth floor, grabbed an oxygen tank and shouted that he was getting out of the hospital.
He smashed the glass at the nursing station, as well as walls and windows. Shards of glass flew toward two nurses, and cut one nurse on her chest and shoulders, according to a court affidavit.
Security officers had to close a hallway door to prevent Stebbins from striking them with the tank. They used a Taser to subdue him.
Elliot tallied up damage of $10,000, with damage to windows at the nurse station, medication room, shower room and fire exit stairs. Also damaged: door frames, walls and a card reader.
A judge found Stebbins incompetent to stand trial in June. The July commitment followed an evaluation by forensic psychiatrist Dr. Joffre Barrnette.
The prosecutor handling the case, Assistant County Attorney Tom Craig, said he did not want to provide additional comment. If Stebbins is deemed restored to mental health sometime within the next five years, he could still face charges, Craig said.
Prosecutors brought three charges three charges of rape and two charges of of criminal threatening with a deadly weapon. A psychiatrist has submitted an evaluation on the competency of Diole, but that evaluation is sealed. A court hearing about his competency is scheduled for July 30.
