'Man in Tree' found incompetent to stand trial, sent to psychiatric hospital for 45-day evaluation

SEATTLE — Cody Lee Miller, who spent 25 hours atop an 80-foot sequoia tree in downtown Seattle in March, on Tuesday was found incompetent to stand trial on a malicious mischief charge.


Miller has been held in the King County Jail on $50,000 bail since he climbed the tree March 22 and ignored police efforts to coax him down, throwing branches and apples at first responders and passersby, before climbing down.

On Tuesday, a King County Superior Court judge, citing the report of the Western State Hospital, found Miller incompetent to stand trial and ordered him committed to Western State Hospital for a 45-day evaluation before being returned to court for another competency hearing on July 11.

The drama sparked intense interest on social media, with new Twitter accounts and the hashtag #ManInTree trending.