By Frank Chung

Copyright news

Decarlos Brown Jnr, 34, is accused of viciously stabbing Iryna Zarutska, 23, in the neck moments after she sat down in front of him on a commuter train in Charlotte, North Carolina on August 22.

The attack was captured on surveillance video, with images of Ms Zarutska looking up at her killer with terror in her eyes, cowering in fear and covering her face with her hands as she bled to death sparking worldwide outrage.

Ms Zarutska’s brutal murder fed into the growing debate over violent crime and lax bail laws in the US, after it was amplified by the likes of billionaire Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, who called for the death penalty.

Brown Jnr is facing a state charge of first-degree murder, as well as one federal count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system.

Court records show Brown Jnr, a violent schizophrenic who had been arrested at least 14 times since 2007, has been committed to a state psychiatric hospital for a capacity to proceed examination.

The evaluation, which cannot exceed 60 days, will help the court determine whether Brown Jr. is mentally competent to stand trial for murder.

Judge Roy Wiggins signed the order on August 29.

“The motion is heavily redacted, so we don’t know exactly why,” wrote independent journalist Ken Silva from Headline USA.

Central Regional Hospital is a 432-bed psychiatric hospital, run by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, in the small town of Butner, about two hours (250km) northeast of Charlotte.

The facility caters to patient populations including geriatric, adult rehabilitation, adolescent, clinical research, forensic, medical, deaf and pre-trial.

“The facility is centred on a treatment mall where the majority of patients receive care in a campus like setting through structured classes,” the architect’s description states.

“The facility also includes a cafeteria, administration, outpatient service centre, and other requirements for a freestanding state-of-the-art psychiatric hospital.”

A blurb for the hospital on Nursa.com reads, “With its modern amenities and serene outdoor spaces, it offers acute care and rehabilitation, focusing on individualised treatment.”

The facility, established in 2008, has “evolved with a strong emphasis on creating a supportive environment for patients”.

“One of its distinguishing features is the expansive outdoor spaces, which enhance the therapeutic experience through access to nature and conducive areas for relaxation and activities,” it reads.

“The hospital has invested in recent renovations, ensuring modern amenities that promote patient wellbeing.”

Dr Robert Cochrane, statewide director of forensic services for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, told WBTV he couldn’t speak about an individual case, but said a typical assessment was extensive.

Evaluators will conduct a clinical interview with the defendant and observe them, and may also talk to family and conduct a mental health exam.

They could also conduct intelligence and personality testing, he added, and would have access to school, mental and criminal records.

“The evaluator would interview the person at length, of course, but often times, there’s a misconception that’s the beginning and end of an evaluation, which it’s not,” Dr Cochrane told WBTV.

“There are often quite extensive assessments of the individual before the evaluator determines one, whether the person suffers from a mental illness or defect, and secondly, if so, if they’re capable to proceed in their trial or not.”

If a court rules a defendant is not competent to stand trial, they could be involuntarily committed to a state psychiatric facility until a court deems them capable to proceed.

“Sometimes the decision is a difficult one — it’s a close call, so to speak, in some cases,” Dr Cochrane said.

“The system is built around having hearings, making determinations, cross-examining witnesses, having individuals evaluated by another professional or even a third professional to get other opinions, so that the right decision, the right call is made at the end of the day.”

frank.chung@news.com.au