Exclusive: Man Who Made Bomb Threat at SDNY Is Sent For Mental Test Against His Will, Order Sealed
Inner City Press alone covered his initial appearance - and now what might be his disappearance, more details here below the fold / paywall line
by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE, May 19 – Taylor Cascio was arrested and detained on November 28, 2022 for making a false bomb threat in the security screening area of the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
On May 19, 2023 he was deemed unruly and possibly incompetent and was sent against his will for mental testing. Inner City Press, which reported on his November detention, was again present.
Cascio, a tall man with red hair, was brought into the SDNY Magistrates Court in shackles by two U.S. Marshals. He spoke with his appointed lawyer from DLA Piper; Inner City Press overheard but will not report what was said. When SDNY Magistrate Judge James L. Cott came in, Assistant US Attorney Ryan Allison told him his Office was asking that Cascio be sent for mental testing.
DLA Piper's John Hillebrecht said that while his client objected, he as an officer of the court had no dispute with the prosecutors' psychologist's report recommending four months of testing. Judge Cott asked, So you are opposing?
Cascio spoke up, and said he had been held incommunicado for six months and wanted to fire his lawyers.
Judge Cott told him to be quiet, to speak through counsel.
Cascio reiterated that he wanted to fire them. Judge Cott began reading a decision, citing applicable mental competency case law, and ordered Cascio removed and sent for mental evaluation for four months.
The prosecutor asked that his letters be sealed. Then Hillebrecht asked that the order sending his client for mental testing against his will also be sealed.
Cascio was led out by now four US Marshals. He asked to give a sheaf of papers "to the SDNY," then before being taken out tossed them on the table in front of his lawyer.
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As counsel left, Inner City Press noted to the Court that such orders are public in other cases - a Polish literary agent, Ernest Horge.
The danger is that people could simply disappear, as happened for a time with Horge.
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