Man charged with killing mother will undergo more mental evaluations, treatment

The Burns man charged with beating his elderly mother to death over a year ago will undergo more mental evaluations before he can stand trial. Under an agreed order between the Public Defender and District Attorney’s offices, 54-year-old Jurgen Horst Whitfield will be transferred from the Dickson County Jail to the Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute for additional treatment and evaluation. Whitfield is charged with second-degree murder for the death of 78-year-old Ingrid Maria Whitfield, whom investigators said died Christmas Day 2011 from blunt force trauma to the head. Whitfield had called 911 on Dec. 24 after claiming he found his mother unresponsive in their North Tidwell Road home. But following her death the next day he admitted striking her with his hands, according to investigators, who said an autopsy revealed multiple injuries including a broken wrist. Whitfield underwent extensive mental evaluations before being indicted by the Dickson County grand jury in October. He was scheduled to appear in Dickson County Circuit Court last Friday, but that hearing was postponed following the agreement for an additional evaluation. Public Defender Jake Lockert said Whitfield is able to participate in preparing his defense when he is on his medications, but when he is not given the medicine at the Dickson County Jail he becomes delusional and is not competent to stand trial. Whitfield is being held on $1 million bond and no new appearance date has been set.