Murder case pending review
Next hearing to check status of defendant’s conservatorship on March 30
LAKE COUNTY >> Steven Michael Fredericks was present by remote appearance and in custody for a recent further proceedings hearing in order to review the status of the defendant’s conservatorship.
A conservatorship is a court case where a judge appoints a responsible person or an organization (called the “conservator”) to care for an adult who cannot care for him/herself or manage his/ her own finances.
Deputy County Counsel, Jonathan Louie was present by remote appearance on behalf of the Lake County Public Guardian.
The defendant has not been seen by the doctor and will not be seen until today. Mr. Louie requested a continuance to allow for the defendant to be seen.
The defendant is ordered to be personally present at the next further proceedings hearing in order to review the status of conservatorship on March 30, 2021 at 10 a.m. in Department 2.
In October of last year Fredericks was not present for a recent review hearing as he had been transported to a state mental hospital in 2019.
Fredericks, 51, has been charged with the fatal stabbing of his father and the attempted murder of his mother along with other charges.
All criminal proceedings have been suspended until the defendant is restored to mental competency.
During the recent hearing the court has received, read and considered the mental report from the Department of State Hospitals.
The Court’s authorization for the treatment facility to involuntarily administer anti-psychotic medications as prescribed by the defendant’s treating psychiatrist still remains.
In early 2019, Defense Attorney Mitch Hauptman declared a doubt to the defendant’s mental competency.
The Court had appointed Taylor Fithian and James House in 2019 to evaluate the mental competency of the defendant.
The Court had received Fithian’s report dated June 8, 2019, which pertained to the mental competency of the defendant. The Court had not received a report from House as he was no longer taking appointments in Lake County. Both counsels stipulated to one report (Fithian’s) and they waived the jury trial and submitted on the report. The report has the same force and effect as if the doctor testified.
The report was read, considered and received into evidence. There was no argument and the matter stood submitted. The Court found the defendant is presently incompetent to stand trial and unable to understand the criminal proceedings or assist counsel in a rational manner.
The matter had been referred to the forensic Conditional Release Program (CONREP). CONREP is the California Department of State Hospitals’ statewide system of community-based services for specified forensic patients. It was mandated as a state responsibility by the Governor’s Mental Health Initiative of 1984 and began operations on Jan. 1, 1986.
The defendant is charged with two counts of murder, attempted murder, causing injury to an elder and assault with a deadly weapon.
When deputies arrived they located a man (Frederick’s father) dead at the scene from what looked to be stab wounds. Also at the scene was a woman (Frederick’s mother) suffering from cuts to her neck — she survived and was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital.
The charges stem from an incident in March of 2018 when Lake County Sheriff Deputies responded to reports of a stabbing just after 6:30 a.m. in the 6300 block of Lyons Road, across Highway 29 from the NiceLucerne cutoff exit. When deputies arrived they located a man (Frederick’s father) dead at the scene from what looked to be stab wounds. Also at the scene was a woman (Frederick’s mother) suffering from cuts to her neck — she survived and was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital.
Witnesses at the scene identified Fredericks as the suspect, informing deputies he had fled to a nearby patch of woods immediately after the incident. Fredericks emerged from the woods and surrendered.