• Evaluation of Competency to Stand
Trial: Dr. Williams uses a standardized competency
measure, the ECST-R, which carefully and systematically
walks the defendant through his or her understanding of
the various aspects of the courtroom process, assesses
his or her ability to cooperate with the attorney in an
effective manner, and assesses for feigning incompetence.
The ECST-R is predicated on the Dusky standard.
• Evaluation of Not Guilty by Reason
of Insanity: Dr. Williams evaluates defendants
for the insanity defense, being mindful of both the M’Naughton
and ALI standards. In addition, according to its
relevance to the jurisdiction, Dr. Williams can offer
testimony regarding Mental State at the Time of the Offense
as well as Diminished Capacity in jurisdictions where
this is considered acceptable expert testimony.
• Psychological mitigation of criminal
charges: A psychological evaluation of a criminal
defendant can be an important aspect of a plea negotiation.
In many cases, the individual charged with the crime does
not fit the expectable profile of the offender and may
not warrant the same disposition. A thorough psychological
assessment can assist the district attorney in understanding
the defendant's motivation for the crime and likelihood
of re-offending. In other cases, mitigation is not appropriate.
Dr. Williams has assisted criminal defense attorneys in
helping their clients understand the difficulty of their
cases, the likely viewpoint of the jury, and why a trial
should be avoided.
