ST. ANTHONY, Idaho — New court documents reveal Lori Vallow's mental health is "extremely complex and fragile," she has the potential to be hospitalized again in the near future.
The documents were filed Thursday, in response to the court's orders to join her case with her husband Chad Daybell. Right now, the cases are conjoined, but Vallow did not waive her right to a speedy trial, so it is scheduled for later this fall.
Regarding her mental health, her attorneys note that no experts from the Court, or the State of Idaho Department of Health and Welfare "claim she is malingering or making up her mental illness." She will undergo further mental health testing next month. Vallow was deemed competent to stand trial in April 11, nearly a year after her "fitness to proceed" was questioned and she was transferred to Idaho Department of Health and Welfare custody.
"She understands her right to a speedy trial, and does not want to waive that right. If the Court moves her trial from October 11, 2022, to January 9, 2023, she understands that will give her defense team more time to get ready."
Vallow and Daybell are facing multiple counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the deaths of Joshua "JJ" Vallow, Tylee Ryan and Tammy Daybell. They have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Related: Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell appear in court, not guilty pleas entered for Vallow
Daybell has met several times with her defense team, which consists of lead counsel, co-counsel, a mitigation specialist, and an investigator. The response says that she understands the heightened scrutiny in a death penalty case, and she understands her defense team is "spending a considerable amount of time going through the mountain of discovery in this case in order to get ready for trial."
A hearing on the matter is scheduled on May 19.
Read the full document here:
