Pre-trial for Robert Lewis of Cherokee County Okla., the man accused of killing two Sharp County residents, as well as his girlfriend and burying their bodies near his trailer, has once again been put on hold after another filing by Lewis’s attorney Velia Lopez.
A preliminary hearing slated for Oct. 3, was halted after Lopez filed an application for determination of competency alleging claims Lewis is incompetent and unfit to stand trial for the murders.
The filing claims Lewis “has cognitive impairments from brain damage as a result of blunt force trauma to the head and other factors, affecting brain function… Defendant’s mental state and communication abilities are such that they seriously interfere with his understanding of the proceedings against him… Mr. Lewis has exhibited symptoms of severe psychosis and paranoia.. He is unable to articulate the process of the legal system without feeding off his delusions. Lewis believes aliens have taken part of his brain which according to him explains why he has mental gaps..”
In the explanation, Lopez stated it was her obligation as council to conduct a thorough records investigation and during the Investigaton, in addition to the drug and alcohol history, she found record of a severe beating which left Lewis with diminished capacity.
Lopez further explained Lewis has not been helpful to council in his defense and often exhibited unusual behavior such as laughing or crying hysterically “without any logical reason”..
A private psychologist was retained, and her findings indicated a neurologist and not a phycologist was recommended to further investigate Lewis.
In a letter provided to Lopez by Brams and Associates, Inc. Psychological Consulting the responding doctor stated, “My findings based on his history and presentation, clearly denotes that Mr. Lewis likely presents with a degenerative neurological condition, that maybe dementia but could possibly be a more severe neurological impairment. He presents with a history of traumatic brain injury, for which he received no treatment. This is not just a minor head injury, but the result of a severe beating.”
The letter continued on with a list of reasons and concerns but ultimately urged Lopez to retain a neurologist to look further into Lewis’s state of mind.
A hearing to review the findings and determine the next course of action as to whether or not Lewis will be found competent to stand trial is slated for Oct. 31 at 11 a.m.
Lauren is a an award-winning journalist who decided after 10 years of newspaper experience to venture out. Hallmark Times was born.
