Opinion ID: 3161987
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: May 2013 Competency Hearing

Text: After receiving the report, the district court held a competency hearing on May 29, 2013. Dr. Newman testified that: (1) there was “no doubt in [his] mind” that Steinger had the mental competency to undergo trial and assist in his defense; (2) Steinger’s medications were “not particularly cognitively impairing” in their current doses; and (3) pain is subjective and can be easily exaggerated, and it was suspicious if a person claiming extreme pain refused a surgery that could provide relief. Dr. Stribling Riley testified that Steinger was competent to stand trial. Steinger was on medication when she examined him and he was still able to complete 1 hour and 15 minutes’ worth of psychological tests and give coherent and rational responses to the questions. Dr. Stribling Riley observed that it was “remarkable, given the length of testing, that there were no complaints of pain or observable signs of pain.” She waited about 15 minutes after he took his medication to begin the tests because she was concerned that he could be distracted by his pain or temporarily sedated by the medication. She observed that Steinger had the wherewithal to be aware of his pain and request medication when he needed it. 5 Case: 14-14081 Date Filed: 12/11/2015 Page: 6 of 16 Steinger addressed the district court and stated that he was in such pain that he screamed and cried all the time. He said it was “common sense” that morphine affected his ability to concentrate and that, without the morphine, he was in such pain that he could not focus. Steinger explained that “[t]his all could be solved” if he received a spinal surgery at a hospital that was better equipped to handle the risky procedure and subsequent physical therapy than Larkin. He suggested UMH, and explained that he had previously declined the operation because he did not have faith in his Larkin doctors’ abilities. The district court found that Steinger was competent to stand trial. It determined that he did not have a serious mental disease or defect and that his medication was not affecting his ability to assist his attorneys. The district court stated that it would continue to monitor Steinger’s health and medication regimen during the months leading up to trial.