Gavin Perkins, who has been repeatedly deemed unfit to stand trial for the murder of his mother in 2018, will now be held in jail and undergo another psychological evaluation, as ordered by a Louisville judge on Monday, Your Content has learned.
After being indicted again for the murder that took place five years ago, Perkins will be held at Metro Corrections on a cash bond of $500,000.
He has been either incarcerated or in a psychiatric hospital since he allegedly shot and killed his 69-year-old mother in April 2018 at an apartment complex in east Louisville.
In recent weeks, Perkins’ case has garnered significant criticism and public interest, especially when it seemed that he would not face trial for the alleged murder and could be released.
Central State Hospital officials testified in April that they could no longer keep him in custody, which drew widespread attention.
The judge sided with Central State, stating that Perkins wasn’t benefiting from treatment, and according to Kentucky law, the facility could no longer continue to hold him.
However, it should be noted that Perkins has chosen to remain hospitalized, according to individuals familiar with the case.
Last month, the Attorney General’s office, under Daniel Cameron, indicted Perkins on the same murder charge.
One of the reasons for the new indictment was the concern that Perkins could leave the hospital at any time.
During his arraignment today, Sheila Seadler, an attorney for Perkins, argued that he has already been deemed incompetent multiple times, and experts have testified that he is unable to regain competency.
Seadler requested an immediate scheduling of a new competency evaluation, and the judge granted the request.
Seadler also pointed out that there has been a significant wait of up to a year at Kentucky’s state-run psychiatric center, which she argued would be a violation of Perkins’ due process. However, in recent months, the waiting time has been reduced by half.
Furthermore, Seadler expressed concern about the current cash bond of $500,000, deeming it “unreasonably high.”
She highlighted that Perkins was voluntarily staying at Central State until his arrest on the new indictment.
Due to the seriousness of the charge and the possibility of Perkins fleeing, the judge maintained the bond amount but scheduled a hearing for July 31 to allow both sides to argue for the appropriate bond.
An August pre-trial hearing has been scheduled, and the Attorney General’s office has already provided Perkins’ attorneys with the evidence against him.
A not guilty plea has been entered on behalf of Perkins.
Seadler emphasized that Perkins “was found not competent to stand trial with no substantial probability that he would attain competency in the foreseeable future on the charge of murder. Because of his incompetency, he could not be criminally prosecuted.”
She also expressed concerns about the level of mental health services Perkins is currently receiving at Louisville Metro Corrections.
The family of Perkins’ mother, Ruth, as well as Governor Andy Beshear, have urged the Attorney General’s office to pursue the case, believing that Perkins still poses a threat. Perkins, a military veteran, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
This case has drawn comparisons to that of Cane Madden, another Louisville man who repeatedly committed crimes but was found incompetent to stand trial and did not meet the criteria for involuntary hospitalization for several years.
Madden’s situation was addressed by a new law signed by Beshear on April 1, 2021.
The law states that a defendant found incompetent undergoes an evidentiary hearing before a judge to determine the probability of their guilt.
If there is enough evidence, another hearing is held to decide whether involuntary hospitalization, according to WDRB.