Judge orders mental evaluation for Arkansan accused in sex case; man was crying, holding teddy bear when arrested, documents show

Donald Allen Adams
Donald Allen Adams

A judge on Thursday ordered a 43-year-old Arkansas man to undergo a mental evaluation to determine his fitness to stand trial on charges he sexually abused two girls.

Donald Allen Adams of Gentry is charged with rape, sexual assault and domestic battery. As of Friday morning, he was being held in lieu of $255,000 bond in the Benton County jail.

His trial was scheduled to begin Aug. 29.

At the Thursday hearing, Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren questioned Adams' attorney about his not filing a motion to determine Adams' fitness to stand trial.

The judge had heard from Adams' attorney, Paul Younger, and Tyler Williams, deputy prosecutor, about suicide attempts by Adams.

Adams barricaded himself in a closet and held a knife to his neck and chest when deputies went to arrest him Jan. 29, according to a probable cause affidavit. He eventually gave up and was taken out of the house by a SWAT team. He was crying and holding a teddy bear and cellphone, the affidavit states.

The second attempt occurred while Adams was being held in the jail, authorities said. He pulled a piece of metal off the door of his cell and slashed one of his wrists, according to court documents, and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Younger told the judge he has had in-depth conversations with his client, and Adams is capable of communicating with him and assisting with strategy for his defense.

The judge ordered Adams to undergo the evaluation to determine his fitness nevertheless. A mental status hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Jan. 14. Karren also ruled prosecutors cannot introduce testimony or evidence at the trial of Adams' suicide attempts.

Adams was arrested after a girl told deputies he had been raping her since she was 13 years old, according to the affidavit. The girl was interviewed at the Children's Advocacy Center of Benton County.

Adams is also charged with sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl, court documents show.

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