Nearly Two Years Later, D’Aquila Still ‘Not Competent’ To Stand Trial

A New Britain man charged with the murder of his mother in a gruesome 2012 incident at Jensen’s Trailer Park has still not been ruled competent to stand trial – and time is running out for the state before the case is sent to probate court for further evaluation.

James D’Aquila remains in treatment at Whiting Forensic Institute, a maximum-security psychiatric hospital in Middletown, as he continues to undergo treatment and did not appear at a hearing scheduled in New Britain Superior Court this week.

Dr. Mark Cotterell, a psychiatrist at Whiting, testified this week that D’Aquila has not made significant progress as the Nov. 3 deadline approaches for his 18-month court evaluation.

“Since the last hearing, D’Aquila’s medications have not changed and he has been cooperative with staff,” he said, according to court records.

Southington police arrested D’Aquila in February 2012 after evidence tied him to the murder of his mother Donna D’Aquila, a resident at Jensen’s Trailer Park off Queen Street in Southington. She was found dead as officers responded to her home for a welfare check when she had not been seen in five days.

According to an arrest affidavit, D’Aquila told detectives he had stayed at his mother’s house on Feb. 3 and the following day the tow had gotten into an argument. He admitted to wrestling her to the ground and kicking her repeatedly in the face with his work boots before leaving in her car.

The car was found in New Britain shortly after Donna D’Aquila’s body was discovered and he was taken into custody the following day for questioning, according to police.

When James D’Aquila went before the court, however, officials expressed concerns regarding his state of mind and he was committed to Whiting for mental health evaluations in May 2012.

Under state law, the state has 18-months to show he has been rehabilitated and is competent to stand trial otherwise the case will need to be referred to the state’s probate court system for a civil commitment of the defendant for treatment, Dr. Mark Cotterall said in April.

Prosecutors this week questioned the treatment, noting that in 2003, he was returned to competency. John Malone, lead prosecutor, noted that the treatment to this point has not included use of medications that helped restore him to competency in the 2002 case.

In his time at Whiting, officials said D’Aquila has had several incidents where he became aggressive or had barricaded himself in certain areas. Cotterall said the issues appear to be psychological, however, and not because D’Aquila is refusing to participate in treatment.

“I feel he will be restored to competency by the Nov. 3 deadline,” Cotterall said.

Make sure to like Southington Patch on Facebook or follow on Twitter for breaking news, daily updates and more!