Competency hearing delayed for Wellington mother accused of murder
A hearing to determine the mental competency of a Wellington mother accused of killing her 10-year-old son has been moved to May.
Lindsey Nicole Blansett appeared briefly in Sumner County Court on Thursday afternoon. Her attorney, Michael Brown, said that he wanted to bring in the psychologist who completed her competency evaluation for questioning before a judge rules on whether she is fit to stand trial on a first-degree murder charge in the Dec. 14 fatal stabbing of Caleb Blansett.
Sumner County District Court Judge R. Scott McQuin tentatively set another hearing for 4 p.m. May 14. The expert is expected to testify via video that day.
Sumner County Kerwin Spencer said after Thursday’s proceeding that the hearing would be closed to the media.
Blansett’s competency evaluation was completed at the state-run hospital in Larned. Spencer said Thursday the report was returned about 11 days ago but it “has not been received into evidence” yet.
A judge ordered her to undergo the evaluation earlier this year.
“It’s understandable the defense attorney has questions he wants to ask the evaluator about,” Spencer said, explaining the reason for calling the May hearing.
“If he did not have those questions then we would have submitted it (Blansett’s competency report) and had the judge’s decision (today). But he’s entitled to have those questions he has answered,” he said.
Brown, the defense attorney, did not speak to reporters following Thursday’s proceeding.
Blansett, 33, is accused of stabbing Caleb to death while he slept at the family’s Wellington home shortly before midnight on Dec. 14. A criminal complaint filed in the case said Blansett – who goes by Nicole – decided that Caleb’s “life would be full of suffering and it would be better for him to go to heaven tonight.”
The complaint alleges she went into his bedroom, struck him with a rock and then attacked him multiple times with a knife. She called 911 after the boy died.
Her 9-year-old daughter, also home at the time, was not hurt.
In court Thursday, Blansett sat silently beside her attorney, wearing an orange jail jumpsuit and a subdued expression. There were shackles around her wrists and ankles.
She remains in Sumner County Jail in lieu of bond.
Reach Amy Renee Leiker at 316-268-6644 or aleiker@wichitaeagle.com. Follow her on Twitter: @amyreneeleiker.
This story was originally published April 23, 2015 at 4:55 PM with the headline "Competency hearing delayed for Wellington mother accused of murder."