A Hamilton man charged with multiple crimes for allegedly grabbing a 6-year-old girl as she took the trash to the curb outside her family’s home has been found incompetent to stand trial.
Deric Nicholas McPherson, 33, was indicted by a Butler County grand jury for kidnapping, abduction and gross sexual imposition and unlawful restraint for the Aug. 23 incident.
McPherson is being held in the Butler County Jail in lieu of a $75,000 cash or surety bond set by Butler County Common Pleas Judge Michael Oster Jr.
Attorney Monika Roth filed a motion questioning McPherson’s ability to stand trial.
“Counsel has reason to believe that Mr. McPherson may have a mental disease or defect that would render him unable to fully comprehend the proceedings in this court at this time, and/or is unable to assist counsel in the preparation and defense of his case,” Roth said in the motion.
Oster ordered a forensic psychological evaluation, and after reviewing it, declared McPherson incompetent at this time.
The judge said based on the evaluation, “the court hereby finds that (McPherson) lacks the present capacity to understand the nature of proceedings against him.”
Oster ordered McPherson to undergo treatment at Summit Behavioral Healthcare for restoration to competency. A hearing is set for Feb. 6, 2023 to determine if McPherson has been restored to competency.
According to the Hamilton police report, McPherson was walking past the girl on East Avenue when he bent down and grabbed her buttocks. The girl attempted to move away and he then grabbed her wrist “alongside the sidewalk.”
The girl escaped by screaming and running, which was captured by the family’s doorbell camera.
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