Former Turnstile guitarist ordered to undergo competency evaluation

Former Turnstile guitarist Brady Ebert has been ordered to undergo a competency evaluation, a Montgomery County judge decided on Thursday (Sept. 3). The order followed a status hearing in which Ebert's own attorney, Mark Sobel, told the court he had significant concerns about whether his client could understand the charges against him or meaningfully assist in his defense.

According to The Baltimore Banner's account of the hearing, Ebert pushed back on that assessment. He repeatedly asserted his innocence, said he felt "perfectly competent" and claimed the police report was false in its entirety. He also told the court he believed his attorney was working alongside prosecutors against him and alleged financial misconduct by his previous legal representatives.

The charges stem from a March 29 incident in which Ebert is accused of deliberately striking 79-year-old William Yates with his vehicle. Yates is the father of Turnstile vocalist Brendan Yates and was reported to have suffered severe trauma to both legs. Family members told detectives that Ebert arrived at the home yelling obscenities and honking his horn, then returned and hit Yates in the driveway.

In May, a Montgomery County grand jury upgraded the case to include attempted first-degree murder, a charge that carries a potential life sentence. Another status hearing is scheduled for Sept. 22, while a trial date was set back in June for Oct. 5, with proceedings expected to run three days.

Ebert had been part of Turnstile since the band formed in 2010 and played on its first three studio albums before the split in 2022. After the incident, the band said the separation was tied to a consistent pattern of harmful behavior and stated that Ebert's threats toward the group had escalated in the period leading up to the alleged attack.