“I Inherited a Bench Warrant to Uncover the Truth” – How An Indigent Defendant Forced a Sealed Court Order into the Light

“I Inherited a Bench Warrant to Uncover the Truth” – How I Forced a Sealed Court Order into the Light

By: Michael Bernard Taylor, Jr. | ThaWilsonBlock Magazine

On October 2, 2023, Judge Suzette Louise Clover of the Pasadena branch of the Los Angeles County Superior Court issued a confidential court order appointing Dr. Pietro D’Ingillo to conduct a Penal Code (PC) §1001.36 evaluation for mental health diversion. The order clearly stated the scope: examine reports, evaluate the defendant for diversion eligibility only, and consult confidentially with defense counsel. The order was sealed, meaning its contents were to be shielded from public disclosure and limited in scope to protect the defendant’s rights under the Constitution.

And yet, four months later, I was committed to Metropolitan State Hospital based on an unauthorized Penal Code §730 competency evaluation written by the same doctor. The court had never ordered such an evaluation.

This is the story of how I used that very injustice—a bench warrant issued against me after asserting my constitutional rights—to unravel a fraud upon the court.

The Catch-22 They Didn't Expect

When I discovered I had been diagnosed incompetent without any lawful order to justify it, I immediately began asking questions. Deputy Public Defender Vernon Patterson, who had replaced Danielle Daroca-Bell after a series of unaddressed legal violations, claimed he couldn’t locate the order for the evaluation. In his words: “I just saw the bill.”

I pressed further. I requested written proof of the court order for the PC §730 evaluation that led to my confinement in a locked psychiatric institution for months. Repeatedly, my request was dismissed as a "non-issue."

That was until May 28, 2025 — after a bench warrant had already been issued and after I sent Patterson an ultimatum:

> "Show me proof of that court order and I'll turn myself in today."

Hours later, he sent me the sealed October 2, 2023 order confirming that no PC §730 competency assessment had ever been authorized.

Leverage Through Legal Knowledge

Despite being labeled as mentally ill, I had done what two licensed attorneys failed to do: expose the procedural fraud committed under their watch. This wasn’t just a paperwork mistake. This was a violation of due process, of California law, and of the Constitution.

I did it without access to court records. Without a legal team. With a cell phone, email, and a working knowledge of the law.

I leveraged the bench warrant — the same instrument meant to intimidate and silence me — to force transparency. By pushing Patterson into a legal corner, I exposed that an unauthorized psychological assessment had formed the foundation of my court-ordered commitment.

Why This Matters

This isn’t about me being clever. It’s about a justice system that operates in shadows, especially when the defendant is poor, presumed mentally ill, or without influential connections.

The public defenders, the judge, and the appointed evaluator all played roles in concealing a sealed order that would have exonerated me from forced hospitalization. My incarceration was built on a false pretense. That’s not just unethical — it’s criminal.

What happens to defendants who don’t know to ask these questions? Who have no way to recognize the bait-and-switch being pulled with court orders and competency reports?

We Must Shine Light

This article marks the beginning of a series that will document each phase of this case, with facts, documents, and analysis available to the public. As founder of ThaWilsonBlock Magazine, I’m using my platform to expose this systemic abuse not just on behalf of myself — but for all indigent defendants facing this kind of institutional betrayal.

The court never expected someone like me to come through the trap. Now the truth is public.