Grant Taylor found incompetent to stand trial
Trial that had been scheduled for August delayed indefinitely
LANSING - The trial of a Lansing man accused of striking and killing a firefighter last year is delayed indefinitely after a judge ruled Wednesday that he is currently incompetent to stand trial.
Grant Taylor, 23, is facing murder and other charges in the death of 35-year-old Dennis Rodeman, who was killed in September while he and other firefighters were collecting donations for charity near the intersection of Cedar Street and Jolly Road.
Police later said Taylor became angered at the traffic backup from the fundraiser and intentionally struck Rodeman before fleeing the scene in his truck, according to court records. He was arrested a short time later near his home after a pursuit with police.
Rodeman died at a local hospital.
Taylor has a history of mental illness and was found competent to stand trial last year before his preliminary hearing. In April, however, Taylor's court-appointed attorney asked for a second evaluation at the state's Center for Forensic Psychiatry.
Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Clinton Canady III granted that request last month.
During Wednesday's hearing, Canady told Taylor the new evaluation "opined that you are not competent to assist your attorney in the handling of the case."
Competency to stand trial means a defendant has an understanding of the roles of the judge, their attorney, the prosecution and the jury, and can assist their attorney in the defense. It relates to the defendant's current state of mind.
Canady ordered Taylor be sent back to the state psychiatric facility in an attempt to return him to competency, but said the facility has a waiting list and it may be two months before Taylor is admitted for treatment.
Until then, he'll remain in Ingham County Jail.
The state has 15 months to bring Taylor back to competency for trial before it would have to dismiss the charges, Chief Deputy Assistant Prosecuting Attorney John Dewane said after the hearing. If that happens, Dewane said prosecutors could then petition to have Taylor involuntarily admitted to a state psychiatric hospital.
If Taylor later regains competency -- even after the 15-month deadline has passed -- prosecutors could move to refile the charges.
"I'm pretty confident he'll be returned to competency," Dewane said.
Taylor didn’t speak Wednesday, other than to briefly acknowledge the start and end of the hearing. When proceedings concluded, he whirled around and took two or three awkward steps in the wrong direction before a bailiff guided him to the proper courtroom exit.
"If he remains incompetent I guess we have to come back and determine how to move forward," Canady said. He added that the trial, which was scheduled to begin Aug. 15, is on hold indefinitely.
Contact Christopher Haxel at 517-377-1261 or chaxel@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisHaxel.