In a recent court development, Shaquille Taylor, the man accused of shooting a Belmont University student, has been found not competent to stand trial due to his intellectual disability and language impairment. Court documents obtained by NewsChannel 5 reveal that Taylor, 29, admitted to detectives in 2021 that he shot into a car off of Dickerson Pike, where two young children were situated in the back seat.

Taylor, who had a criminal history, was initially charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. However, Judge Angelita Blackshear Dalton was required by law to dismiss the case after he was deemed incompetent to participate in the trial.

According to a forensic assessment report from the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Development Disabilities, Dr. Mary Elizabeth Wood stated that Taylor's intellectual disability and language impairment rendered him lacking the necessary adjudicative competence. The report revealed Taylor's limited ability to understand the allegations and provide relevant information about his case to his attorney, as he easily became confused with basic questions.

This was not the first time Taylor underwent evaluation. Back in 2010, when he was a teenager, he was referred to the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, where doctors determined him to be "incompetent and not restorable," indicating that his disability could not improve. Court documents indicated that Taylor had an intellectual disability resulting from pneumonia at birth, which caused a brain infection.

Testifying on behalf of Taylor, his mother, Tondalayia Cox, described his functioning level as akin to that of a kindergartener. She also disclosed an incident when Taylor, at the age of 15, was involved with a Super Nintendo gun and encountered a group of boys pursuing him. Cox revealed that Taylor was shot, resulting in the removal of a bullet from his body.

Despite graduating with a special education diploma, Taylor's criminal history tells a troubling narrative. This case exemplifies the challenges within the broken mental health system. NewsChannel 5 Investigates has extensively reported on how this issue is impacting Nashville and Middle Tennessee communities.

In May, Judge Dalton issued an order for Taylor's release after hearing from three different doctors. One doctor noted that Taylor would not understand courtroom discussions, while another attributed his incompetence to his intellectual disability and language impairment. Although Taylor did not exhibit suicidal or homicidal ideations, a doctor also determined that he could not be involuntarily committed.

Judge Melissa Blackburn, the presiding judge of Davidson County, acknowledged the flaws in the system and mentioned a $600,000 grant aimed at preventing immediately releasing individuals deemed incompetent back into society. An incompetency docket was established to address these cases specifically.

Despite being interviewed by multiple doctors during his time in jail, it was unanimously concluded that further training or medical care would not enhance Taylor's competency. Consequently, despite admitting to detectives his involvement in the shooting incident, Taylor was released back onto the streets.

In Taylor's history, incidents from 2011, 2015, 2016, and 2021 stand out. During his juvenile years, police confiscated a .40 caliber handgun from him. In 2015, he faced charges of robbery and received probation. Unfortunately, he violated that probation by being charged with aggravated burglary in 2016, resulting in a one-year jail sentence. Most recently, in 2021, he was arrested for firing a gun into a car on Dickerson Pike, leading to charges of aggravated assault.

As of May 2023, Taylor was released from custody based on the findings of three court-appointed psychologists who deemed him incompetent to stand trial. However, they also concluded that he did not pose an imminent threat to himself or others. However, in September 2023, Taylor was charged with auto theft and released on bail. A recent arrest warrant was issued after he failed to appear in court.

The case of Shaquille Taylor highlights the urgent need for effective support and reform within the mental health system to ensure proper care and attention for individuals living with intellectual disabilities.