Judge grants Turco competency request

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By CLARENCE MABIN / Lincoln Journal Star

Ricky Turco will be evaluated by a psychologist as early as next week to determine if he is competent to stand trial for the March traffic death of 15-year-old Megan Churchill.

Attorney Franklin Miner told Lancaster County District Court Judge Paul Merritt Jr. at a hearing Tuesday that, “after numerous conversations” with Turco, he began to question whether his client was capable of understanding the case’s legal proceedings.

Miner said he tried six times, without success, to explain the nature of a preliminary hearing to Turco.

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Ricky Turco

Ricky Turco

Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Krista Ideus did not oppose Miner’s motion for the evaluation, which apparently will be done by Mario Scalora, a clinical psychologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. A date has not been set, but Miner told the judge it could be done as early as next week.

Turco, 18, is charged with manslaughter in the March 26 death of Megan Churchill, who was a passenger in a car he was driving when he lost control near 19th and Stockwell streets and slammed into a tree.

Witnesses said they saw the 2000 Chrysler Concorde speeding and squealing its tires just before the crash.

Turco could be sentenced to as many as 20 years in prison if convicted on the charge.

If Merritt determines he is mentally incompetent to stand trial, but that he could become so in the foreseeable future, the judge would commit Turco to a state hospital for treatment until he is deemed competent.

Under state law, the Lancaster County Attorney’s Office could have Turco committed for an indefinite period, or released, if the judge decides it is unlikely he will be competent to stand trial in the foreseeable future.

Turco was arrested and lodged in Lancaster County Jail on Friday for failing to appear in court earlier last week on another traffic violation. He bonded out of jail Monday after posting a $500 bond.

Reach Clarence Mabin at cmabin@journalstar.com or 473-7234.