Incompetent to Stand Trial

A man who walked the grounds of the Jewish Center of the Hamptons on Oct. 8 carrying a spring-loaded baton, classified by East Hampton Village police as a weapon, has been found mentally incompetent to stand trial, it was announced last Thursday in East Hampton Town Justice Court. Justice Steven Tekulsky had sent Daniel Glazer, 41, of Rego Park, for psychiatric evaluation two days after the incident.

Mr. Glazer was arrested in downtown Montauk on Oct. 9. Because of the finding, however, the two misdemeanor charges against him will be dropped. The state now has 90 days to place the man in a mental health treatment facility; he will be released if and when found to be sane.

Another man found mentally incompetent by Suffolk County doctors faces a different future. David Osiecki, who was indicted for arson, a felony, by a grand jury on Oct. 2, had languished in county jail for months since his April arrest. He was accused of starting a fire that caused extensive damage to a Bridgehampton house. After his arrest, Southampton Town Justice Andrea Schiavoni sent him for psychiatric evaluation, and he was found mentally incompetent.

A felony charge, however, is not automatically dropped following that finding. Mr. Osiecki’s case is now before acting Supreme Court Justice Fernando Camacho in Central Islip, who sent the defendant for another round of tests on Oct. 10. The results will be revealed during Mr. Osiecki’s next court appearance on Nov. 13.

Edward Burke Jr., who represented Mr. Osiecki during his springtime court appearances in Southampton, said that should he ever be found sane, he can be tried for the crime with which he was charged, arson.