Hunter
06/28/22
The man who asked a judge last week to represent himself at this week’s murder trial instead will undergo a competency evaluation.
The Gazette reports that Monday, 6th Judicial Judge Fae Hoover ruled 62-year-old Arthur Flowers must have a psychiatric evaluation to determine if he has a mental disorder that would prevent him from understanding the charge and proceedings or assisting in his defense.
During Friday’s hearing, Flowers accused his court-appointed lawyers of incompetency and wouldn’t answer most of Judge Hoover’s questions. He also claimed that he represented himself at three previous murder trials and had been arrested over 400 times. When asked about his level of formal education, his answers were vague before saying he was self-taught by reading books.
Flowers is on trial for the murder of 22-year-old Emily Leonard of Cedar Rapids. He called 911 on April 2nd of this year, claiming that she overdosed on heroin, but evidence at the scene allegedly pointed to Flowers beating the woman to death with a 1-by-6 wooden board.
Flowers’ trial was scheduled to begin Tuesday; proceedings are on hold pending the psychiatric evaluation.