By admin 
South Carolina’s attorney general is asking the state Court of Appeals to overturn an order allowing a Spartanburg County man charged with two murders to continue mental-health treatment outside a secure psychiatric hospital, arguing that state law does not authorize such a placement while he remains incompetent to stand trial.
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Casey Douglas was indicted in 2018 for two counts of murder of his girlfriend, Stephanie Jenkins, 28, and her father, Craig Jenkins, 52.
Court filings say Douglas has not been found competent to stand trial because of persistent delusions that interfere with his ability to assist his lawyer.
After hearings in 2023 and 2024, Circuit Judge J. Mark Hayes II ruled that Douglas remained incompetent but could be transferred from inpatient treatment to a supervised outpatient setting at Generations of Monetta in Aiken County.
The order imposed numerous conditions, including continued treatment, medication and monitoring.
Still, 7th Circuit Solicitor Barry Barnette — whose office prosecuted Douglas — challenged Hayes’ order by filing a motion for reconsideration which Hayes denied, according to court records.
“It appears … (Generations of Monetta) is a retirement or assisted living facility oriented for older adults; it is not a facility designed for persons with compelling mental health issues,” a motion by the state said. Authorities are “concerned about the safety of older individuals living at the facility as well as the public in general.”
The appeal, now primarily being handled by the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, argues that Hayes exceeded his authority under state law.
In a brief filed Aug. 20, 2026, the attorney general’s office said the law permits continued hospitalization or release in narrowly defined circumstances, but does not allow a court to order continued treatment in a non-secure facility while criminal charges remain pending.
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“The order exceeds what he is authorized to grant,” the state wrote, asking the appellate court to vacate the ruling and send the case back for further proceedings.
The state also contends that the order is immediately appealable because it interferes with the prosecution of a serious criminal case. Waiting until after a trial, prosecutors argued, could make the issue impossible to review.
Douglas attorneys have urged the appeals court to dismiss the case. They characterize the order as a form of pretrial release, similar to a bond decision, that can be revisited as his competency changes.
The defense also say the state is raising its central statutory argument for the first time on appeal. According to Douglas brief, the proceedings below focused on whether he should remain hospitalized or receive monitored outpatient care — not on whether the circuit court lacked authority to approve the arrangement.
The defense argues that several sections of South Carolina’s mental-health statutes must be read together. Under that interpretation, criminal charges can remain pending while a defendant found incompetent receives outpatient treatment under strict conditions.
The record described in the briefs say Douglas has schizophrenia and continues to experience persecutory and religious delusions.
A state expert questioned whether additional treatment might restore his competency, while other experts supported outpatient care. One state evaluator recommended further medication and treatment but acknowledged that, under certain conditions, Douglas could be moved to another setting.
The appellate court has not ruled on the dispute in the briefs. Until Douglas is found competent, the murder charges cannot proceed to trial under South Carolina law.
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