Murder Suspect Undergoing a Second Competency Exam

A St. Clair Shores man charged in the  returned Friday to 40th District Court for a second competency exam.

Viktor Shaholli, who was in June, returned to court after spending 25 days in the Center for Forensic Psychiatry in Ypsilanti, where he was observed and held until he regained competency.

He also had a court-ordered CT scan to determine if was suffering from vascular-type dementia, which the defense alleges.

Dr. Michael Kasotakis reviewed the scan, and when asked by Macomb County assistant prosecutor Steve Fox if he saw any signs of a stroke, dementia or trauma, he stated, "I did not."

He added that Shaholli's brain was "normal."

Dr. William Cardasis, a forensic psychiatrist at the Ypsilanti facility, also testified about his interview with Shaholli. He stated that many of Shaholli's answers, which were answered through an interpreter, were "I don't know" and "I don't remember."

While he did not answer questions directly initially, he did respond during follow-ups. Also he did not show signs of memory loss or dementia, Cardasis said, by playing chess.

"He was known as an expert chess player," Cardasis said, which demonstrated that he had strong "cognitive" functions.

Following his testimony, the case was adjourned until Sept. 11 for additional testimony. Defense attorney Timothy Barkovic, who cited that Shaholli lacked focus during the exam, added that he will attempt to have his client re-evaluated by his psychiatrist before the exam.

"I think it is a shame that they would bring him back here," said Barkovic, who doesn't believe his client was fully evaluated and tested during his stay at the Center for Forensic Psychiatry.

In the previous competency exam, Dr. Donna Rinnas, who conducted the exam for the prosecution, found Shaholli to be competent to stand trial.

Dr. Gerald Shiener, who conducted an exam for the defense, testified May 31 and found the suspect was not competent to stand trial.

In both psychiatric exams, it was noted that Shaholli had poor personal hygiene and that he reported seeing visions of his late wife visiting him the jail. 

Shaholli, a native of Albania who holds a green card, is charged with first-degree murder and felony firearm charges for the Nov. 20 fatal shooting of Dashamir Matjani on Recreation Street.

If he is found competent, and stands trial, he could face life in prison if found guilty.