(Stillwater, Okla.) — The driver in the Oct. 24 fatal OSU Homecoming Parade crash, Adacia Avery Chambers, 25, of Stillwater, appeared subdued in court this afternoon when a judge ordered that she be transported to the Oklahoma Forensic Center in Vinita for an examination to determine if she is mentally competent to face four counts of second-degree murder and 46 counts of assault and battery by means likely to produce death, each of which carries a possible life prison term on conviction.
In an unusual development today, Logan County Associate District Judge Louis Duel issued a gag order sought by Payne/Logan County District Attorney Laura Austin Thomas to prevent the dissemination of any information not contained in court documents “regarding the mental health of the defendant or purported facts of the case that would have an imminent and materially prejudicial effect on the fact-finding process.”
Longtime courthouse observers said it was the first time in memory that a gag order had been issued in Payne County.
Duel was appointed today by Payne/Logan County District Judge Phillip Corley to preside over the case after Payne County Special District Judge Katherine Thomas disqualified herself since she was personally acquainted with an individual named as a victim in the 50-count charge filed by the prosecution.
Duel gave defense attorney Tony Coleman of Oklahoma City 15 days to respond to his issuance of the gag order, which the judge said could possibly be lifted at a later date.
“I want this case tried in court…I believe this is in the best interest of Ms. Chambers,” the judge said – emphasizing “the gag order goes to the victims, witnesses, the defense, everybody.”
On the DA’s request, the judge also ordered “that all psychological information be filed under seal explaining, “For her protection, I think this needs to be done – that’s privileged information.”
The judge also ordered that a defense motion for a competency evaluation, which contained a report from a psychologist who examined Chambers in jail, be immediately sealed, although it previously had been available online in court records. The judge reiterated that he wanted both sides to have a fair trial.
Also on the DA’s request, the judge ordered that a video of the defense attorney visiting with the defendant in the Stillwater City Jail be placed in a vault with a seal – not to be viewed.
The DA said, “Mr. Coleman came to visit her in the city jail. It had a camera as well. The conversation with his client was recorded,” by voice activation.
The DA told the judge, “I advised police not to look at it. We’re asking the court to place it in your possession so that the police department is never accused of doing anything with it.”
Granting the DA’s request, the judge said, “No one is going to view it.”
The defense attorney maintained in a court document today that he had done nothing improper by attaching a psychological report in his motion for a mental competency evaluation of the defendant.
The defense attorney added that the prosecution’s complaint that he had addressed the media regarding the defendant’s mental health was not prohibited by law.
“It appears the state of Oklahoma’s real complaint is that defendant’s counsel has responded to the media frenzy in this case that immediately painted defendant Chambers as an intoxicated driver or drug user,” Coleman wrote in a court document.
A large number of reporters and camera operators filled the area outside the large courtroom before this afternoon’s hearing was held.
Shortly before the hearing began, Chambers was brought in handcuffs into the courtroom, which had heavy security with 11 deputies.
Chambers appeared frightened and spoke only once to answer yes, when the judge asked her if she understood her rights.
Chambers remains held on $1 million bail in the crash that killed 2-year-old Nash Lucas of Stillwater, 23-year-old Nikita Prabhakar Nakal of Edmond, and a 65-year-old married couple, Marvin and Bonnie Stone of Stillwater, along with injuring 46 other pedestrians.
The judge scheduled the next hearing in the case for 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 10 to review the status of Chambers’ mental competency examination.
***
