Competency Exam Ordered For Mom Accused In Daughter's Stabbing Death

DETROIT (WWJ) - A competency exam has been ordered for a Detroit mother accused of murdering her young daughter and her preliminary court exam put on hold.

WWJ's Pat Sweeting reports that the mother of five children, 26-year-old Semeria Greene, accused in the December 30th stabbing death of her 8-year-old daughter Tamiria, will first undergo a forensics exam.

In addition to an exam to determine if Green understands the charges against her and can assist in her own defense the prosecution asked the 36th District Court to combine it with a criminal responsibility hearing but defense attorney Cornelius Pitts objected.

Pitts said the prosecution's motion is presumptive: " ... at that responsibility hearing the forensic clinic has an opportunity to question the person about their understanding of what has transpired and going into details and circumstances involving the case."

Pitts successfully argued against the motion that looked to combine the two exams.

"Well they should know that at this particular point if I'm not going to put the defendant on the stand - they shouldn't know anything - the defendant is not required to testify in order to prove her innocence," he said.

"When a person is charged with a felony that defendant is entitled to, indeed, a forensic hearing to determine whether or not they are able to assist their council and whether or not they understand the nature of the proceedings."

A court review of the competency exam is scheduled for March 1.