Polk Country authorities, who appear legally unable to either prosecute accused killer Santos Rodriguez or involuntarily confine him to a mental hospital, moved to a third option - appointment of a legal guardian who will have the power to place Rodriguez in a group home or nursing home.
Polk Country Judge Ruth Klotz appointed Des Moines psychiatric nurse Robin Van Camp to find at least a temporary home for Rodriguez in light of what's expected to be his release from the Polk County Jail early next week.
Lawyers say Rodriguez, jailed since his SUV struck and killed an Iowa Air National Guardsman following an attempted gasoline theft in September 2009, is mentally incapable of understanding those still-pending criminal proceedings due to a 1999 brain injury. Court papers filed by a public defender in Rodriguez's vehicular homicide case demand an immediate dismissal of criminal charges based on an expert's finding that "there is no reasonable probability that the defendant will be restored to competency in a reasonable amount of time."
Judge Robert Hutchison has told attorneys that he plans to rule on the competency issue by Tuesday.
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Guardian Appointed for Accused Driver
The many ways guardianship is used for the advantage of the "justice" system....
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