Deaf woman Georgia Fields will avoid standing trial for murder
A DEAF woman, who was accused of murdering Robert Wright when he fell from a balcony, is “unfit” to stand trial.
TWO of the three deaf people charged with murdering Robert Wright in Melbourne have been found unfit to stand trial.
Georgia Fields, 19, Jake Fairest, 26, and Warwick Toohey, 37, were charged with murder last year after 36-year-old Mr Wright — who was also profoundly deaf — fell to his death from the balcony of a Ringwood flat.
A Victorian Supreme Court jury found Fields unfit to stand trial on Tuesday, less than a week after Fairest was also deemed unfit.
The accused trio each entered a plea of not guilty, by reason of mental impairment and this week a jury was considering Fields’ capacity to stand trial.
Fields, 19, has a number of conditions that could impact on her ability to understand and participate in a trial, the court was told on Monday.
The most significant is low intelligence, but her deafness and some autistic-type behaviours were taken into account when deciding whether she was unfit to stand trial.
Forensic psychologist Dion Gee and neuropsychologist Peter Dowling believed Fields was not fit to stand trial.
Dr Gee said her general cognitive functioning was borderline and “just above the cut off” for diagnosis of an intellectual disability.
Fields didn’t have a great understanding of court proceedings or realise what she needed to tell her lawyers, he told the jury on Monday.
Dr Dowling said Fields had the reading ability of a mid-primary school student, and didn’t really understand the term “plea”.
Psychiatrist Lester Walton believed Fields was fit to stand trial.
He said she understood the difference between right and wrong.
“She is well aware she must face trial, come to court and evidence will be given about what her role was,” Dr Walton told the court.