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The man accused of stalking actress Jennifer Aniston and crashing his car into the gate of her Bel Air home will not be going to trial anytime soon. A judge has ruled that the suspect, Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, is currently mentally incompetent to stand trial.
During a court hearing, Judge Maria Cavalluzzi confirmed that a second psychiatrist, appointed by the court, agreed with a previous evaluation: Carwyle is not in the right mental state to take part in legal proceedings. “The court finds the defendant is not currently competent to stand trial,” the judge stated, according to The Associated Press. As a result, criminal proceedings have been paused for now.
Carwyle’s public defender, Robert Krauss, said this decision wasn’t what his client wanted, suggesting that Carwyle had hoped to fight the charges head-on.
Even though the trial won’t move forward at this time, the court will now shift focus to figuring out how to treat Carwyle’s mental health issues. If doctors later determine he has regained mental stability, prosecutors may decide to resume the case.
This case stems from a disturbing event that happened on May 5, when Carwyle allegedly drove into the front fence of Jennifer Aniston’s home. Police say the crash was the climax of a weeks-long stalking campaign. Carwyle had reportedly been bombarding Aniston with voicemails, emails, and social media messages, making the actress feel increasingly unsafe.
Before this mental competency ruling, Carwyle had pleaded not guilty to two serious felony charges: stalking and vandalism. The severity of the case led the judge to call for mental health evaluations before any further steps in court.
At the time of the crash, Jennifer Aniston was said to be at home, though she had no direct interaction with Carwyle. Her security team quickly detained him until police arrived and made the arrest.
Authorities noted that the case involves a heightened level of danger, as Carwyle’s behavior was seen as a potential threat to Aniston’s safety.
For now, the legal process is on hold — but not over. If Carwyle’s condition improves, the case may pick up again in the future.