Mario McNeil, the man accused of murdering 5-year old Shaniya Davis is having his mental “capacity to proceed” evaluated.
The jury has already been seated and opening arguments were scheduled to begin yesterday. The judge has delayed things until Friday.
The doctors who will examine McNeill are from Central Regional Hospital in Butner and Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro.
The move came after Judge Ammons unexpectedly cleared the courtroom for a closed hearing last Friday. What was discussed was not announced.
McNeill could face the death penalty in the 2009 kidnapping, rape and murder of the child. He faces first-degree murder, first-degree rape of a child, first-degree kidnapping, human trafficking with a child victim, sexual servitude with a child victim, sexual offense of a child and indecent liberties with a child charges.