Wife-murder suspect to
By Crystal Kua
undergo new exam
Star-BulletinA 75-year-old man accused of murder in the 1975 fatal shooting of his former wife will be examined by a prosecution expert to see if he's lying about his mental condition.
The daughter and son of the victim say William Scheblein is faking.
"We believe it's a charade. We believe William Scheblein is capable of standing trial," Joseph Burgess said.
Scheblein allegedly killed his ex-wife, on May 23, 1975, after following her to Honolulu. He then shot himself in what would have been a murder-suicide.
No action was taken to prosecute him in 1975 because he wasn't expected to survive the head injury, but information surfaced in late 1997 that he was alive and living in Florida.
Scheblein was extradited from Largo, Fla., to stand trial on second-degree murder charges. In September, Circuit Judge Victoria Marks ordered him to undergo an evaluation to determine if he is mentally fit to stand trial. The defense contends Scheblein has no memory of his ex-wife.
Burgess and his sister, Patti Peter, said this morning that they have seen Scheblein shopping, going to church and helping his current wife out of the car. They have also seen him at times without his hard hat, which he wears to protect his injured head.
Deputy Prosecutor Kevin Takata said that an expert will examine Scheblein Saturday to see if he's lying about his condition. "We have some concerns about that."
Defense lawyer Michael Green said he had no problem with following the court's order, but he wanted to wait until his client completed the mental evaluation. He said he also understands the feelings of Peter and Burgess. "It's a terrible thing that happened."
Scheblein is scheduled to appear at a Jan. 29 hearing on his fitness to stand trial.
