Homeless Veteran Sits in Jail Because No Room At State Hospital?

Homeless veteran in jail, no space at state psychiatric facility
ABC 12 News
By Terry Camp
Apr 27, 2017

SAGINAW (WJRT) - (04/27/17) - A homeless veteran has been found incompetent to stand trial after he was accused of carjacking a woman and smashing that car into a police car.

He remains in jail and his attorney says that's wrong, but he would like him to be put into a state psychiatric facility, but there are no beds available - a problem that a state official says is getting worse.

Willie Hill is an Army veteran who has a long criminal history. His last run-in with police was in October, when he drove the car he stole from a woman right into a Michigan State Police car. The trooper and Hill were not injured. A judge ordered a forensic exam for Hill.

“The forensic center did a psychological interview and found him to be incompetent to stand trial at this time,” said Jim Piazza, Hill’s attorney.

That means Hill should be sent to one of the state's five psychiatric hospitals for treatment.

“They have to make him competent within 15 months or the case is dismissed,” Piazza said.

A month after Hill was ruled incompetent to stand trial, he remains in the Saginaw County Jail because the state has no available space at its psychiatric centers.
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