How a Hidden Court Order May Invalidate a Mental Health Ruling, Violate Voting Rights, and Collapse the Case Against Michael Taylor"

 

In a legal twist fit for a political thriller, a sealed court order—concealed for nearly eight months—may unravel the entire criminal case against Los Angeles artist and community advocate **Michael Taylor**, calling into question the integrity of both the **Los Angeles County Superior Court** and the mental health judicial system.

At the center of this unprecedented debacle is a confidential court order issued on **October 2, 2023**, which appointed a licensed psychologist, **Dr. Pietro D’Ingillo**, to perform a **private mental health diversion evaluation** under **Penal Code § 1001.36**, not a public competency evaluation under Penal Code § 1368. This subtle but critical distinction is where the legal foundation of the court’s subsequent rulings begins to collapse.

🔒 Sealed Order, Public Fallout

The court’s order made clear: any evaluation performed by Dr. D’Ingillo was to remain **confidential** under **Evidence Code §§ 730 and 952**, meant solely to assist the defense in determining eligibility for pretrial **mental health diversion**. The court even specified that **any reports generated were protected** from being used in open court.

But in a dramatic violation of that mandate, Dr. D’Ingillo later submitted a report—dated **February 14, 2024**—addressed directly to **Judge Suzette Louise Clover**, concluding Taylor was **not competent to stand trial**. The assessment was based on the *same sealed order*, and shockingly, was used to **suspend criminal proceedings**, stripping Taylor of his liberty, his public court process, and ultimately, **his right to vote** in the 2024 federal election.

⚖️ Why It Matters: The Legal Breakdown

Here’s what the public—and potentially a federal court—needs to understand:

* Under **Penal Code § 1001.36(f)(2)**, a **diversion evaluation** cannot be repurposed as a **competency determination** without violating its scope.

* Under **Evidence Code § 730**, the appointment of a **court expert** must follow clear procedural distinctions; here, the court expert was **misused**.

* Under **Evidence Code § 952**, any report generated for the **benefit of defense counsel** remains **privileged and inadmissible** unless waived.

* Under **PC § 1382**, failure to bring a defendant to trial within the statutory period—especially following an **unlawful suspension of proceedings**—**requires dismissal**.

* Finally, under the **26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution**, Michael Taylor’s **federal voting rights were violated** when he was **unlawfully detained** during the November 2024 election.

“This isn’t just a procedural hiccup,” said one legal analyst. “This is a textbook case of judicial overreach and prosecutorial negligence. If Taylor's team files in federal court, this could lead to **civil rights liability** and full **dismissal** of the case.”

😱 The Shocking Revelation: A Sealed Order and a Bench Warrant

As if the story couldn’t get more egregious, the sealed court order did not surface until May 28, 2025, when bar panel attorney Vernon Patterson finally emailed the document to the defendant at Taylor’s request. This followed Patterson’s prior statement during a Marsden hearing in Pasadena on April 9, 2025, where he had affirmatively told Judge Carter that he was unable to locate the October 2, 2023 order—a claim now proven false. His sudden disclosure directly contradicted his earlier sworn representation that no such order existed.

By this time, a **bench warrant** had already been issued for Taylor’s arrest, based on alleged non-compliance and failures to appear—issues that trace back to a competency ruling that never should have existed.

“Patterson’s reversal not only exposes a failure of defense representation,” one observer noted, “it exposes a legal system that buried a key document while allowing a man’s rights to be stripped away one by one.”

💥 The Bigger Picture: When Courts Play With Sealed Justice

This case is more than a one-off mistake. It raises urgent questions about:

* The abuse of mental health law to circumvent due process.

* Defense attorneys’ ethical duty to assert confidentiality protections.

* The ability of local judges to unlawfully **suspend proceedings** without proper findings or public review.

* And most dangerously, the erosion of **basic civil rights**—including the right to vote—for vulnerable defendants caught in the mental health system.

🧠 Final Word

What happened to Michael Taylor may be a **civil rights disaster hiding in plain sight**. The sealed order was supposed to protect him. Instead, it was used against him—twisting the law into something unrecognizable.

Now, with the record exposed and the legal violations mounting, it’s not a matter of *if* this case will implode—it’s a matter of **when**.

ThaWilsonBlock will continue to follow this story as it develops.