Warren-Clinton News

The Ohio Senate has approved Senate Bill 295, which seeks to reform the standards for determining and restoring competency in criminal defendants. The bill was sponsored by State Senator Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville) and State Senator Thomas Patton (R-Strongsville). It passed unanimously.

Senator Manning stated, "I'm proud to see this legislation pass the Senate unanimously on Wednesday. This bill makes needed changes for restoring a defendant to stand for trial and ensures courts are made aware of the status of a defendant's restoration to competency. I hope this piece of legislation will ensure individuals can be brought to justice for their actions, both in the current case that brought this issue to our attention and future cases."

The legislation comes after an incident in 2024 involving Delawnte Hardy, who shot his grandmother and then fatally shot Cleveland police officer Jamieson Ritter. Hardy was found incompetent to stand trial and ordered into treatment but refused medication for five months. During that time, the hospital responsible did not notify prosecutors, defense attorneys, or the court about his noncompliance.

Senate Bill 295 would allow courts to pause or suspend deadlines related to competency restoration—known as tolling—when a defendant is not following their treatment plan. For serious offenses, the timeline for restoration is extended up to five years.

The bill also requires mental health hospitals tasked with restoring defendants' competency to inform the court within fourteen days if a defendant refuses treatment.

Senator Patton said, "Delawnte Hardy did not hesitate to shoot and kill Officer Ritter, and we do not want to see him—or any other dangerous criminals—let off the hook due to a legal loophole. I want to thank the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's office and the Cleveland Police Patrolman's Association, as well as Officer Ritter's parents, Jon and Karen, for their dedication and sacrifice. We could not have gotten this far without their support."

Senate Bill 295 will now move on to consideration in the Ohio House.