MT. OLIVET, Ky. (LEX 18) — A doctor with the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center has ruled that Torilena Fields is competent to stand trial for the murder of her mother, Trudy. However, the defense team for Fields hasn’t received the results from its own evaluation.
“The judge makes the final determination,” attorney, Laura Fitzer began to explain. “KCPC does do their report and says this is what we think as a doctor. Then we actually have our own independent doctor do an evaluation,” Fitzer added following Monday’s status hearing in Roberston County Circuit Court.
Fitzer said that once the doctor, hired by the defense, completes an evaluation of Fields then a confidential hearing would be held. The judge would then assess both evaluations, along with what’s put on record during the hearing, before ruling on Fields’ ability to stand trial.
The accounts of what allegedly transpired in October 2024 are gruesome, as Field is accused of shooting, stabbing, and dismembering her mother, Trudy, before placing her remains in a boiling pot on the stove. Fitzer and the Commonwealth’s attorney reviewed several issues in court that remain concerning evidence that’s been collected. Much of it remains in a lab, so the sides were given another month to work through that. Fields will return to court on Aug. 11, for another status hearing.
But the Commonwealth’s stance concerning Fields gets tricky when her past is taken into consideration. Fields, according to her family members, suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling from a motorcycle while living in California. In addition, she was evaluated by an expert in California where she was ruled unable to stand trial on a much less serious infraction.
“I would think that California still exists, and I think our motion was pretty accurate and competency is still an issue,” Fitzer stated. “Ultimately, the judge will make the final determination, he determines if she’s competent, by law. We’ll have a full [confidential] hearing,” she continued.
That hearing isn’t expected to take place before next month’s status hearing, but Fitzer said results of their evaluation will be made available very soon.
