SKOWHEGAN — A judge has ruled that a competency hearing for an 11-year-old Maine girl charged with manslaughter in the death of an infant will be closed to the media and public.
The judge ruled Monday that the Fairfield girl's privacy rights outweigh the public's rights. The judge wrote that sensitive information that is sure to come out during the hearing will not be relevant to the criminal case.
Prosecutors tell the Morning Sentinel (http://bit.ly/Womx5x ) they are disappointed with the decision.
The girl was charged at age 10 with juvenile manslaughter in the death of a 3-month-old girl in her mother's care.
The state hasn't released the cause of death.
The hearing on Thursday is to determine whether the girl understands the legal system and is capable of aiding her own defense.
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