Dr. Anthony Garcia's death penalty hearing likely delayed after Judge orders mental competency exam for 'Creighton Killer'

Convicted Creighton Killer, Dr. Anthony Garcia, sat in court catatonic, refusing to answer the Judge in court

Convicted murderer Dr. Anthony Garcia sat mute during a mandatory preliminary death penalty sentencing hearing this morning and remained non-responsive to any questions from the Judge or his legal team.

Judge Gary Randall ordered a mental evaluation for Dr.
Anthony Garcia before proceeding with the death penalty
phase of the Garcia murder trial

When Judge Gary Randall repeatedly asked Dr. Garcia questions during the hearing, Dr. Garcia simply remained silent throughout the entire hearing, rocking back and forth in his seat with his eyes gazing downward avoiding any eye contact with anyone in the courtroom.

“Dr. Garcia if you do not respond to me, you leave me with no choice but to follow the third thing we discussed at the hearing last week [sic] was to have you sent to the Lincoln Regional Center to determine whether or not you’re competent,” Judge Randall said in court.

After getting no response from the defendant, the Judge then promptly ordered Dr. Garcia for another mental evaluation at the Lincoln Regional Center to determine if he is competent to take part in the death penalty phase of his murder trial.

Garcia had already refused to attend a sentencing hearing in person last week in Douglas County.

His legal team asserts that Garcia's catatonic behavior today is similar to what they experienced with the convicted murderer for months when they tried to meet with him in confidence to discuss issues before the court. Apparently, Dr. Garcia had not even spoken at all to his attorneys during his 3 1/2-week quadruple murder trial.

Dr. Amy McGaha named new chairwoman of Creighton's family medicine department

Dr. Amy McGaha of Creighton  University

On Friday, Creighton University School of Medicine's family medicine department promoted its residency program director, Dr. Amy McGaha, M.D., to the post of chairwoman of the department.

McGaha's appointment becomes effective October 1 and is subject to approval by the Creighton University Board of Regents.

She also serves on the regional board of CHI Health and the combined CUMC Bergan Medical Executive Committee.

Before coming to Creighton, McGaha previously served on the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine and as assistant director of medical education for the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) in Leawood, Kansas, the professional certification board for family physicians.

Prior to those appointments, Dr. McGaha provided inpatient and outpatient care for Freeman Health Systems in Missouri.

Dr. Michael Wadman named new chairman of UNMC's emergency medicine department

UNMC's new chairman of ER, Dr. Michael Wadman

Yesterday, the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) named Dr.Michael Wadman, M.D. as their new chairman of the medical center's emergency medicine department. 

According to university officials, Dr. Wadman has been a key figure in the UNMC/Nebraska Medicine emergency medicine program for more than 20 years.

The appointment, which is subject to approval by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, was announced by Dr. Bradley Britigan, dean of the UNMC College of Medicine, and would become effective Oct. 15.

"Dr. Wadman was selected from a very competitive, highly talented pool of applicants," said Dr. Britigan. “He is an outstanding clinician who is also committed to achieving excellence in our education and research missions. At a time when major changes are taking place in emergency medicine in our community, his knowledge of the local emergency medicine environment is also a major plus."

Wadman joined UNMC's faculty back in 1994 as an assistant professor. He became an associate professor in 2004 and full professor in 2014. In 2003, he was the founding residency director of UNMC’s emergency medicine residency program, a role he served in for more than seven years.