Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Deaton trial delayed

Cole Deaton's trial has been postponed once again, this time due to the order of a mental evaluation.

Deaton was originally set to go to trial the last week of August for the charge of manslaughter in the death of 15-year-old Kimberly Adams.

Winston Mathis, Deaton's attorney, filed the motion for a mental evaluation. Mathis's reasons for the motion was he did not feel his client has the mental capability to understand the capacity of the charge filed against him.

Ninth Judicial District Circuit Judge John Thomas ordered the mental evaluation which will be examined by the Director of the Division of the Mental Health Services, part of the Department of Human Services.

A new trial date will be set as soon as the evaluation is in.

Mathis also filed for Deaton's church time be extended. Scott Nelson, Deaton's probation officer, agreed Deaton had been on excellent behavior while under house arrest.

Thomas approved the new church hours which will allow Deaton to attend church from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday mornings. Sunday evenings he may attend from 5-8 p.m. and Wednesday nights from 7- 8:30 p.m.