LIHUE — An 83-year-old defendant facing two criminal cases for attempted murder and negligent homicide is no longer on Kauai. “The defendant was transported to Oahu for health reasons,” said Chief Judge Randal Valenciano on Thursday in 5th Circuit Court.
LIHUE — An 83-year-old defendant facing two criminal cases for attempted murder and negligent homicide is no longer on Kauai.
“The defendant was transported to Oahu for health reasons,” said Chief Judge Randal Valenciano on Thursday in 5th Circuit Court.
Robert Yount is being held at Oahu Community Correctional Center in one of the health care modules, according to Department of Public Safety spokesperson Toni Schwartz.
“Inmates in neighbor island facilities who require a higher level of care are often transferred to OCCC,” Schwartz said. “That level of care is not available in the facilities on the neighbor islands.”
Yount refused to attend previous hearings in February and remained at his cell at Kauai Community Correctional Center.
The court waived Yount’s presence and proceeded with the hearing to determine the status of reports on his mental fitness for trial. The court ordered the earlier reports from district court over a year ago be compiled into the new evaluation.
Once the reports are received, they will be used to determine fitness for trial in both cases, Valenciano said. A status of the fitness motions hearing was scheduled for April 17.
Yount is charged with possession of firearms, firing at and threatening Kauai police officers as they attempted to deliver a felony warrant to his Kalaheo home on Nov. 18, 2013.
The warrant was to deliver the felony indictment for a first-degree negligent homicide charge. Yount was allegedly driving his SUV when it struck 26-year-old Jill Garnett as she walked along Kaumualii Highway in Puhi on March 16, 2013. She died from her injuries.
The criminal proceedings are suspended pending the outcome of fitness for trial reports. Yount is being held without bail in both cases.
