ADRIAN — Issues related to a psychiatric evaluation of a Madison Township man who is charged with murder in his wife’s death need to be resolved before the case can proceed.

Stephen Sevedus Maples, 73, was arrested after calling 911 at about 9 p.m. Feb. 24 to report he had shot his wife, Cathy Ann Maples, in their home on Baldwin Highway. Lenawee County sheriff’s deputies reported finding Cathy Maples deceased in a bedroom from multiple gunshot wounds. They also found a .357-caliber handgun in the bedroom.

Maples has been charged with open murder and felony firearm. The open murder charge allows a jury to decide the degree of murder should the case go to trial.

At a pretrial hearing Wednesday in Lenawee County Circuit Court, Maples’ attorney, Jim Daly of Adrian, told the court that the Michigan Center for Forensic Psychiatry had completed an evaluation for competency to stand trial but that Maples believed information from the interview that was used in the evaluation was incorrect. Because of that, Maples wants the interview for the evaluation for criminal responsibility to be recorded.

While the Center for Forensic Psychiatry does not object to recording the interview, it is not its policy to record interviews and staff there asked for a court order, Daly told Circuit Judge Michael R. Olsaver.

“The interview takes place with the forensic center in one place and Mr. Maples in another,” Daly said. “Right now, Mr. Maples is concerned about the forensic center.”

Maples is being held without bond at the Lenawee County Jail, according to online court records. He appeared at Wednesday’s hearing by video as did Lenawee County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Allison Arnold. Daly appeared in person.

Daly said he has explained to Maples that he wants to seek an independent evaluation, but he cannot do that until the forensic center has completed its evaluations.

“Once we get that done, we can proceed and I can file a petition for an independent examination,” Daly said.

Maples had refused to participate in the evaluation for criminal responsibility, so the forensic center had insufficient information upon which to form an opinion about Maples’ criminal responsibility, Arnold told the court.

“If the court wants to order a new evaluation and Mr. Maples wants to participate, we’re fine with that, but he has to participate in the evaluation, and I think the forensic center can set the conditions for that,” Arnold said.

“Mr. Maples will cooperate in the future. I don’t think that’ll be a big problem,” Daly said.

While it would be easiest if the court would order the forensic center to record the interview, Daly said, he could find no case law that says the forensic center would have to follow such an order or that allows or denies a judge the ability to issue an order like that.

“That’s what he would really like to have happen on that. That could speed the process up because he would have no reason not to do that then,” Daly said.

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Olsaver said he had a letter written in December by a psychologist at the Center for Forensic Psychiatry saying Maples had declined to participate in the evaluation for criminal responsibility.

“If Mr. Maples is willing to participate in that evaluation, I’m willing to order it again, but I don’t believe it’s appropriate for me to include that they have to video record their evaluation or anything that they do,” Olsaver said. “I’m not aware of, first of all, any authority I would have even to do that and so I don’t know that it’s appropriate for me to order them to do something that’s within their purview. There are a set of laws that control what the Center for Forensic Psychiatry does and how they do it, and I’m sure they are left with discretion on how to do their jobs, and I don’t think it’s my place to interfere with that.”

He said he would order another evaluation if Maples is willing to participate in the way the forensic center normally does evaluations.

“If he’s not willing to do that, there isn’t much I can do,” Olsaver said.

Criminal responsibility is an affirmative defense in a criminal prosecution, and if Maples is unwilling to take the steps to establish that defense, “that’s a choice that Mr. Maples can make or not make.”

Daly said he would prepare the new order for an evaluation and speak with Maples about it.

Olsaver scheduled the next hearing for March 27, pending the results of the forensic center’s criminal responsibility evaluation.

— Contact reporter David Panian at dpanian@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @lenaweepanian.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: New psychiatric evaluation sought in 2023 Madison Township murder case