In an unusual turn of events, Matt Pippin, a lawyer from Shelby County, Kentucky, is protesting legal delays in a unique way — by requesting to be incarcerated with his client. This highly unusual request arises from frustrating delays in his client’s competency evaluation. Pippin’s client, Jacob Gonzalez, has reportedly been awaiting the exam for over a year, an unusually long period, even for a process that is generally not speedy.
According to the WDRB and the ABA Journal, Gonzalez has been in custody without having a competency hearing for a longer period than the maximum sentence he would have faced had he been convicted. During this time, Gonzalez hasn’t been able to receive medication or necessary treatment.
Pippin told WDRB, “I don’t want to be incarcerated but I don’t want this on my conscience anymore. And I do think that there is a better chance of this being expedited … if there is some attention paid to it.”
Legal professionals often go above and beyond to represent their clients, but Pippin’s request is not only unusual but also a stark reminder of the frequent delays and roadblocks that can plague the legal process, as well as their impact on defendants like Gonzalez.
One has to wonder whether such a radical step is more likely to speed up Gonzalez’s competency hearing or lead to Pippin himself being incarcerated. Only time will tell, but this case undeniably represents a significant stand against possible due process violations.