More tests for murder defendant

Court seeks independent competency evaluation for man charged with killing North Stonington man

— The state has retained a psychiatry expert for a new competency evaluation of James Armstrong, the man charged with the shooting death of his cousin but never prosecuted because of a mental health diagnosis.

New London County Assistant State’s Attorney Theresa Anne Ferryman said the state has enlisted Dr. Catherine F. Lewis, University of Connecticut Health’s professor emeritus of psychiatry, to perform the evaluation of Armstrong. The evaluation is expected to be done this summer.

Ferryman had called for an independent evaluation based on recent testimony that Armstrong was being considered for release into supportive housing.

Armstrong is charged with murder in the death of 31-year-old Eastern Pequot Tribal member Ralph Sebastian Sidberry in 2017 at Sidberry’s home in North Stonington.

On multiple occasions, Armstrong was found to be not competent to stand trial and unlikely to be restored to competency, meaning he cannot be tried for murder. He has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and personality disorder and at the time he allegedly shot his cousin had falsely believed Sidberry was spreading HIV among tribal members.

Armstrong was civilly committed and now resides at Whiting Forensic Hospital under the care of the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The Middletown Probate Court has jurisdiction on his release from civil commitment.

There were indications from past courtroom testimony that Armstrong had moved to a less secure section of Whiting. Ferryman said when she asked, DMHAS rejected her requests to be updated on any information about Armstrong’s treatment protocols, movement or even discharge.

information about Armstrong’s treatment protocols, movement or even discharge.

DMHAS will, however, notify the court if Armstrong is released from civil commitment, Ferryman said. A typographical error in documents from the Middletown Probate Court had previously indicated Armstrong was released from commitment, which he was not.

Katherine Sebastian Dring, the former chairwoman of the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation and Sidberry’s mother, appeared in court Wednesday to urge a change in state law that would allow the family of victims to be informed when a murder suspect is released from commitment.

Dring started an online petition to bring attention to the case, which she continues to call a “travesty of justice.”