Opinion ID: 3168557
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Mental Health Evaluations

Text: The district court ordered an evidentiary hearing and referred the matter to the magistrate judge to determine Mr. Ryder’s competency. The magistrate judge ordered Mr. Ryder to undergo a psychiatric examination by Federal Bureau of Prison (BOP) 10 psychologist, Dr. Lee Ann Preston-Baecht. As part of her evaluation, Dr. PrestonBaecht requested Mr. Ryder’s historical and medical documentation, but the magistrate judge denied the request in an effort to ensure an unbiased evaluation. Dr. Preston-Baecht therefore evaluated Mr. Ryder, without the benefit of his historical records, over the course of several weeks while he stayed at a federal mental-health facility. In her 2008 final report, Dr. Preston-Baecht concluded that although Mr. Ryder “appeared religiously preoccupied and often expressed unusual ideas,” he did not appear to express “any obviously delusional ideation.” In regard to a mental health diagnosis, Dr. Preston-Baecht explained that she had been unable to make a conclusive diagnosis, faulting her lack of access to Mr. Ryder’s historical records. Despite this admitted inability to definitively diagnose Mr. Ryder, Dr. PrestonBaecht opined that Mr. Ryder “appears to have a rational understanding of the nature and potential consequences of the proceedings in which he is now engaged” and “despite his irritable mood, hyper-religiosity and tangential speech, Mr. Ryder demonstrated . . . the ability to effectively and rationally assist and communicate with his counsel.” Dr. Preston-Baecht thus opined that although Mr. Ryder likely suffers from an undiagnosed mental health condition, he was competent to assist with the habeas proceedings. A few months later, the State filed a motion for leave to provide Dr. PrestonBaecht with the historical documentation previously withheld. The district court granted the motion, and upon reviewing Mr. Ryder’s historical information, 11 Dr. Preston-Baecht requested an opportunity for further evaluation. The district court granted the request, and, in the presence of counsel, Dr. Preston-Baecht conducted a one-day interview of Mr. Ryder at the prison where he was incarcerated. During this second evaluation, Dr. Preston-Baecht administered the MacCAT-CA competency test. She had not administered the MacCAT-CA during her prior evaluation because Mr. Ryder had refused to cooperate. In her 2009 follow-up report, Dr. Preston-Baecht concluded that Mr. Ryder’s “mental state had deteriorated significantly” since her 2008 examination. The report discussed Mr. Ryder’s rapid, often incoherent and tangential speech reflecting his various delusions, and indicated that Dr. Preston-Baecht found it difficult, if not impossible, to redirect Mr. Ryder from discussing his delusions. Based on her observations of Mr. Ryder’s changed condition and her review of his historical records, Dr. Preston Baecht concluded that Mr. Ryder suffers from a psychotic disorder, most likely schizophrenia, paranoid type. Dr. Preston-Baecht also reported that the results of the MacCAT-CA competency test confirmed that Mr. Ryder was incompetent and that without treatment, his condition would likely get worse.