Giant Eagle stabbing suspect to get 3rd mental health evaluation — what it means for the case

NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team has found Bionca Ellis going away for a third mental health evaluation, so we took a closer look at what this means getting justice for 3-year-old Julian Wood.

Ellis faces charges for attacking the child and his mother outside a grocery store in North Olmsted. Police say Ellis stabbed the child to death.

In June, the I-Team revealed Ellis had been released from jail without a psych exam just days before the murder even though a magistrate had recommended a mental health evaluation.

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Now, Ellis will go through a third mental health review since she’s been indicted for the murder. Another exam to determine if she’s competent to stand trial.

Defense lawyers say they had an evaluation find Ellis is incompetent for trial. Then, Cuyahoga County prosecutors had her reviewed by the court psych clinic.

Now, they want an outside psych clinic to take a closer look at the mental state of Ellis.

Again, the I-Team found, days before the murder, Rocky River Judge Brian Hagan released Ellis on a probation violation without a mental health exam. Now, this.

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“The state has not agreed to anything other than what has been made in court by this judge ordering that this defendant go to North Coast (clinic) to determine whether or not she is competent,” said Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Anna Faraglia at a Tuesday court hearing.

Prosecutors made it clear that nothing’s been decided yet concerning the her mental health.

A trial remains set for late in the year, but this latest psych evaluation is expected to take months.

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