HAMILTON — Tonda Lynn Ansley, facing an aggravated murder charge in the slaying of Miami University professor Sherry Lee Corbett, has been found incompetent to stand trial-at least for now.

Ansley

Butler County Common Pleas Judge Keith Spaeth said he had no choice but to find Ms. Ansley incompetent after two psychologists, in separate evaluations, found her too mentally ill to adequately participate in her own defense.

The judge ordered Ms. Ansley, 36, to be transferred as soon as possible from the county jail to the Moritz Center, a maximum-security mental facility in Columbus.

Judge Spaeth set a hearing for Oct. 8, 2003, to review her competency status, but he said that hearing would be held earlier if doctors find Ms. Ansley's mental condition improves sufficiently.

Psychological reports released Tuesday reveal more about the mindset of Ms. Ansley, who, officials say, previously told authorities she had planned to kill Ms. Corbett and several others whom she believed to be in a conspiracy to drug her and control her mind.

“Ms. Ansley lamented that she had not been able to kill everyone who had been in on drugging her,” wrote Dr. Sherry Baker, a psychologist with the Center for Forensic Psychiatry in Hamilton. “Ms. Ansley lacked insight into her behavior and appeared satisfied with her actions and situation.”

Another psychologist said Ms. Ansley indicated she had taken college courses in criminal justice “and she seemed to feel that that preparation was sufficient to act as her own attorney.” Ms. Ansley, who is facing a charge that carries a sentence of 23 years to life, also said she expected to be home by Christmas “even if she acts as her own attorney,” the report says.

Judge Spaeth denied Ms. Ansley's request to represent herself.

Ms. Ansley told Judge Spaeth that Dr. Baker's report contained “a lot of errors,” but said she hadn't yet read the other report.

Whether in prison or a mental institution, Ms. Ansley will remain locked up, Assistant Prosecutor Craig Hedric said. “First and foremost, she is not going to be a threat to society,” he said. “At least she's off the streets.”

Still, Mr. Hedric said he was hopeful that Ms. Ansley would be found competent. “We want her to be held accountable for the aggravated murder,” he said.

Neighbors and other acquaintances have said Ms. Ansley seemed to behave normally before the brazen July 27 daytime shooting in front of witnesses in the Dayton Lane Historic Area.

Whether Ms. Ansley was insane at the time of the crime cannot be addressed unless she is first found competent to stand trial, Mr. Hedric said.

E-mail jmorse@enquirer.com

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