Insane woman who killed her brother returns to court

Johnnie Greenback.
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A Canyon Country woman who last month was found to be insane when she shot and killed her brother three years ago appeared briefly in court Tuesday.

Jessica Paige Greenback, 28, appeared Tuesday in San Fernando Superior Court, for a status report, Ricardo Santiago, spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said.

“Today, there was a progress report,” he said.

“They’re coming back March 15 to ensure she’s been transferred to Patton State Hospital,” he added.

In October, Greenback pleaded no contest to second-degree murder in the shooting death of her brother, Johnnie, three years ago.  Then, last month, a court ruled she was insane at the time of the shooting.

When she was found to be insane, the judge ordered her to return to court Feb. 13 for a status update and a mental evaluation.

Greenback was arrested Feb. 8, 2015, on suspicion of murder, and has remained in custody with bail set at $6.15 million.

A criminal complaint filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office alleges she shot and murdered her brother, then tried to murder her father and a family friend in the apartment the family shared on Danielson Street in Canyon Country.

The complaint against Greenback also includes a charge of child abuse for allegedly exposing a child, her younger sister, to the shootings.

In March 2015, Greenback’s attorney “raised a doubt about her mental health,” the prosecutor at the time said.

Greenback was transferred to the Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino for psychological assessment. The mental health assessment was ordered under section 1368 of the California Penal Code, the prosecutor said.

Next month’s court date was called to confirm for the judge that she was, in fact, transferred to the state mental hospital.

Greenback was declared incompetent to stand trial in late April 2015, but by Oct. 13, 2015, her criminal case resumed, according to District Attorney’s Office Spokesman Ricardo Santiago, “when it was found she was competent to assist in her defense.”

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