Feb. 16, 2011 -
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Six months to the day after a South Carolina mother was accused of suffocating her two young sons and driving her car into a river in an attempt to cover up their deaths, a judge on Wednesday granted prosecutors' request to mentally evaluate the woman.
Court officials confirmed to The Associated Press that Circuit Judge Edgar Dickson agreed that a psychiatrist needs to figure out if 29-year-old Shaquan Duley is fit to stand trial.
Duley was charged with two counts of murder after divers pulled the bodies of 2-year-old Devean Duley and 18-month-old Ja'van Duley from the North Edisto River on Aug. 16. Investigators said Duley confessed to smothering the boys after a fight with her own mother, who Duley said badgered her about her failures as a parent.
Authorities have said Duley fled her mother's house with her sons to a motel after the fight. Police say she initially told them she fell asleep at the wheel and the car went into the river about 40 miles south of Columbia.
Court officials confirmed to The Associated Press that Circuit Judge Edgar Dickson agreed that a psychiatrist needs to figure out if 29-year-old Shaquan Duley is fit to stand trial.
Duley was charged with two counts of murder after divers pulled the bodies of 2-year-old Devean Duley and 18-month-old Ja'van Duley from the North Edisto River on Aug. 16. Investigators said Duley confessed to smothering the boys after a fight with her own mother, who Duley said badgered her about her failures as a parent.
Authorities have said Duley fled her mother's house with her sons to a motel after the fight. Police say she initially told them she fell asleep at the wheel and the car went into the river about 40 miles south of Columbia.
But police said they found no skid marks or signs of a crash. During hours of questioning, Duley acknowledged suffocating the boys at a motel and driving with the bodies to the river and staging the scene, authorities said.
Duley's attorney, Carl B. Grant, did not immediately return a message seeking comment Wednesday. During a September appearance on Oprah Winfrey's show, Grant said his client was depressed, in part owing to a lack of contact with her children's father. Grant also told Winfrey he intended to pursue an insanity defense.
Previously, he has said his client was tormented by suicidal thoughts the night of her son's deaths, consumed a dozen packages of a common headache remedy and tried to slit her wrists.
When those attempts to kill herself failed, Duley intended to die inside her car in the river before changing her mind and climbing out, Grant said.
No trial date had been set for Duley, who has been held in jail without bond since her arrest. In December, Duley lost custody of a third child when a judge granted custody of a young daughter to Duley's mother.
Duley's attorney, Carl B. Grant, did not immediately return a message seeking comment Wednesday. During a September appearance on Oprah Winfrey's show, Grant said his client was depressed, in part owing to a lack of contact with her children's father. Grant also told Winfrey he intended to pursue an insanity defense.
Previously, he has said his client was tormented by suicidal thoughts the night of her son's deaths, consumed a dozen packages of a common headache remedy and tried to slit her wrists.
When those attempts to kill herself failed, Duley intended to die inside her car in the river before changing her mind and climbing out, Grant said.
No trial date had been set for Duley, who has been held in jail without bond since her arrest. In December, Duley lost custody of a third child when a judge granted custody of a young daughter to Duley's mother.
http://www.thesunnews.com/2011/02/16/1986262/sc-mom-accused-of-killing-sons.html#ixzz1F3xxg4XX
Is this muderer out on bond? Rumor has it that she is!
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to Shaquan Duley, even after what she did. I believe that she is very sorry and regretful for what she has done. I believe that she was not in her right mind when she did what she did. She must have been dealing with depression, a mental block, hopelessness, confussion, a feeling of no way out other than death for herself and her precious sons. Those poor sweet babies, My heart goes out even more for those two little angels, but if they could still speak, they would still be saying, "Mommy, We Love You"
ReplyDeleteI really hope she does not get the death penality because what would tht accomplish? Two wrongs don't make a right, and it's wrong to kill for any reason. Life in Prison with the possibility of proroll only when she turn 75 years old, let her out. If I was the judge, this would be my sentenance to her. And while she is there, a lot of counseling, a job in prision, church, visitation with family and that's it. Shaquan, we hate what you did, we can't understand why you just did not leave yourself, and left all the kids, you never had to come back, but we know you could not have taken care of yourself alone and you saw no way out. Sorry you made such a terrible decision.
Everyone does not hate you, but everyone hate what you did. I hope others in your situation see this and make better decisions and NEVER KILL THEIR CHILDREN, then your two little angels would not have died in vein.
To answer your question, no, she is not out on bail. The latest news is that the judge ordered a mental evaluation in Feb. 2011 to see if she is fit to stand trial. Her bail was been denied and she is very depressed in Jail.
ReplyDeleteI think it is very unfortunate what has happened to this family! I wish society would show women how hard it is to be a single parent, the trials and tribulations. Instead of all these meaningless reality shows! We need to see how difficult it is caring for children alone constantly without family support, emotional support, or support from the other parent. I pray she gets the help she needs! RIP to both her sons!!!
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