ME-Missing paddle boarder Sunshine Stewart Found Dead by Homicide, Union 02 July 2025

[Inthedetails]

Regarding today's hearing, bbm:

Inside the Knox County courthouse, the door to the family courtroom was taped shut, and we were not allowed inside for the juvenile hearing of Young. Even the suspect’s family, and the family of the victim, were only allowed to watch on an internet feed....

One issue the court may have taken up Friday is the prosecution’s motion to try Deven Young as an adult...

Competency is the other issue in this case. Because the case is now sealed, we can only assume the defendant will undergo one or more psychiatric evaluations to determine his competency to stand trial, which could weigh into the court’s decision to try him as a juvenile or an adult.

Closed courtroom hearing held for Deven Young, accused in Midcoast murder of Sunny Stewart

A "behind closed doors" hearing was held on Friday for the teen accused of murdering a paddleboarder on the Midcoast.

fox23maine.com

 

[jillolantern]

Here's an other reason suggested for the sealing:

According to the director for the School of Legal Studies at Husson University, that’s because he believes the judge in the case has agreed to a competency hearing....

“Anytime a competency hearing is called, information is shut off. That’s the law. It’s not shut off to hide information, it’s not shut off to make the public angry, it’s not shut off to make the public think they’re making a deal in the backroom. There are no deals being made. What’s being determined is whether or not the defendant should be able to stand trial. Is he able to get a fair trial based on his or her mental capabilities?” Michaud said.

Maine legal expert explains developments in Union murder case

The fate of a high-profile criminal trial for the murder of Sunshine Stewart will be in the hands of a judge, according to a legal expert in Bangor.

www.wabi.tv

I don't understand why competency means that information about the case has to be hidden from the public.

 

[Inthedetails]

I don't understand why competency means that information about the case has to be hidden from the public.

I'm assuming because it's medical (mental health) information which is a privacy issue.

From the link in quoted posted above, bbm.

“Anytime a competency hearing is called, information is shut off. That’s the law. It’s not shut off to hide information, it’s not shut off to make the public angry, it’s not shut off to make the public think they’re making a deal in the backroom.

Maine legal expert explains developments in Union murder case

The fate of a high-profile criminal trial for the murder of Sunshine Stewart will be in the hands of a judge, according to a legal expert in Bangor.

www.wabi.tv

 

[iamshadow21]

I don't understand why competency means that information about the case has to be hidden from the public.

Imagine all the stuff you talk about with your doctor or psychiatrist. Then imagine that all being related in a public hearing, which is then reported in the press.

The defendant is very much in the early days of his pretrial hearings and motions. Unless something gets raised in court or in motions that are not under seal, it's entirely likely we won't hear details of why this issue came up. A lot happens behind closed doors leading up to a trial, because a large amount of it is procedural or is stuff that a potential juror shouldn't know, so that they can do their job just based on what is presented to them.

MOO

 

[jillolantern]

I'm assuming because it's medical (mental health) information which is a privacy issue.

From the link in quoted posted above, bbm.

“Anytime a competency hearing is called, information is shut off. That’s the law. It’s not shut off to hide information, it’s not shut off to make the public angry, it’s not shut off to make the public think they’re making a deal in the backroom.

Maine legal expert explains developments in Union murder case

The fate of a high-profile criminal trial for the murder of Sunshine Stewart will be in the hands of a judge, according to a legal expert in Bangor.

www.wabi.tv

Thanks. I can read and did read the article. Maybe I wasn't clear. My complaint is that the law doesn't say that the competency part of the hearing/case needs to be private, it says the whole case suddenly needs to be private. [ETA: I didn't look up the law, but that is how its being treated and the press is letting that stand without fighting back.] So again, I don't understand why his competency hearing effects what can be said about all the rest of the details of the case. Why should there be privacy around, for example, cause of death, just because the killer might be insane? Total b.s. And I disagree with the section of the article you quoted. It is shut off to hide information, and information that isn't at all relevant to his competency.

 

[jillolantern]

Imagine all the stuff you talk about with your doctor or psychiatrist. Then imagine that all being related in a public hearing, which is then reported in the press.

I'm not suggesting his doctor should be forced to testify, I'm saying that there is no reason the whole case should be sealed while the court decides if he's wacko. Very different matters.

 

[waldojabba]

I'm not suggesting his doctor should be forced to testify, I'm saying that there is no reason the whole case should be sealed while the court decides if he's wacko. Very different matters.

Until they get the results of his evaluation there can be no ruling on whether he will be tried as an adult or a juvenile.

Ianal but I'm pretty sure access to info for court cases for juveniles can be restricted in Maine.

So that may also be a reason to freeze everything.

Once the arrest was made all info kind of stopped. The only info we got was from the chatty "Cathy" running the camp ground where Sunshine was murdered.

JMO

 

[charminglane]

Thinking of Sunshine.
Paddleboarder.
Badass.

 

[RedHaus]

A bit of news as we wait on the next court date.

A local media outlet is taking legal action to get access to any records of past local law enforcement calls to the Youngs' Frankford home.

Midcoast Villager Files Court Appeal for Waldo County Sheriff Records

The Midcoast Villager filed a court appeal to access Waldo County Sheriff records about Deven Young, the teen accused of killing Sunshine Stewart's murder.

www.midcoastvillager.com