A man charged with fatally striking a prominent Boston art collector and his dog earlier this year has been ruled competent to stand trial following months of psychiatric treatment, court records show. William Haney Jr., 43, was found by Suffolk Superior Court Judge Joshua Wall on September 22 to be capable of understanding the legal proceedings and assisting in his defense, despite a long history of schizophrenia.
Haney had initially been declared mentally incompetent and was committed to Bridgewater State Hospital for court-ordered treatment. His competency was restored through medication, according to a medical evaluation presented in court. Judge Wall noted that the defendant’s counsel did not object to the finding. Haney’s defense attorney, Keith Halpern, said the ruling was expected, as Haney’s condition improved after returning to antipsychotic medication that had previously stabilized him for years.
Prosecutors allege that Haney deliberately ran over John Axelrod, 79, and his dog, Tale, on the morning of January 3 along the Commonwealth Avenue mall in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. Axelrod, a well-known art collector, and his dog were walking with a companion when the incident occurred. Authorities have stated that Haney and Axelrod had no prior relationship, and the attack appeared to be random.
According to court testimony, shortly before the attack Haney asked a passerby if they had seen a man in a red coat with a small dog, then drove his vehicle onto the pedestrian mall, narrowly avoiding trees and a statue before striking Axelrod and Tale. Witnesses heard a loud impact followed by the dog’s yelping. Afterward, Haney fled the scene, driving to Brookline where he stopped at a Dunkin’ coffee shop and a mechanic. At the Dunkin’ location, he reportedly removed the dog’s leash from the front of his SUV, intending to discard it, but it was recovered during the investigation.
Haney contacted his brother, who drove him to the Brookline police station, where he was arrested. Prosecutors have indicted Haney on charges including first-degree murder, asserting that the attack was “methodical and deliberate.” For now, Haney remains held without bail and has been transferred to Boston’s Nashua Street Jail, a pretrial facility, following the competency determination.
The legal standard for competency focuses on a defendant’s ability to understand court processes and assist counsel, not the absence of mental illness. Halpern said Haney continues to experience some delusions, including perceptions of being targeted by an imaginary figure named Mr. Daley, but these are less severe than before the incident.
Haney’s defense team has indicated they may pursue an insanity defense, arguing that he lacked criminal responsibility at the time due to mental disease. If successful, this could result in commitment to a state mental hospital rather than prison, with periodic reviews for potential release if he no longer poses a danger.
A trial date is currently set for September 2027. Prosecutors have not commented on the competency finding or future prosecutorial decisions, including the possibility of reduced charges.