Plans to bring Sheley to Whiteside on hold: Doctor changes his mind about suspect’s mental fitness

MORRISON – A doctor’s revised opinion that Nicholas Sheley may be fit to testify after all means the spree-killing defendant won’t be back in Whiteside County court today as planned.

The 30-year-old Sterling man was expected to appear this morning at a hearing to determine whether he is competent to knowingly give up his right against self-incrimination and testify at the upcoming trial of his brother, Joshua Sheley.

Chicago-based forensic neuropsychologist Robert Hanlon evaluated Sheley last year in connection with his capital murder case in Knox County and found that he was not competent to fire his attorneys and represent himself.

After reviewing additional reports, though, Hanlon told defense attorney Jeremy Karlin that he now could “not say with 100 percent certainty that Nicholas was unfit,” said Janet Buttron, Joshua Sheley’s attorney.

Now that Karlin has lost his witness, he is expected to withdraw his objection to an order summoning Nicholas Sheley to testify, but still plans to make a “general objection” and tell Judge John Hauptman that if Nicholas testifies for his brother, it will be against his attorneys’ advice.

Joshua Sheley, 31, of Rock Falls, is charged with obstructing justice and concealing a homicidal death for allegedly helping his brother hide the body of Russell Reed, 93, of Sterling, who was killed in late June 2008.

His bench trial is Nov. 3.

Nicholas Sheley is charged in Reed’s death and in the deaths of seven other people in Illinois and Missouri. He faces the death penalty in Knox County if convicted in the death of Ronald Randall, 65, of Galesburg.