A Fayette County Jury ultimately will determine whether or not a Powder Springs woman accused of killing her ex-husband in Peachtree City in October is competent enough to stand trial on criminal charges from the case.

April Ulrich is accused of shooting Eric P. Ulrich with a gun that was hidden in a paper bag after she called him out to the parking lot to speak with her, police have said.

Ulrich’s defense attorney, George Weldon of the Fayette County Public Defender’s Office, has indicated in court filings that she will pursue a defense of “insanity, mental incompetence or mental retardation.” Ulrich has undergone two psychological examinations, the latest being requested by Weldon.

The results from the latest exam are not yet available but should be by next week, Weldon said. Chief Assistant District Attorney Al Dixon said he hoped the state could have a copy of that report as soon as it was available.

The competency trial has been slated for July 16. Dixon said if the jury rules Ulrich competent, she will then stand trial for the criminal charges filed against her: one count each of felony murder, malice murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

If the jury rules Ulrich not competent to stand trial, she will be remanded to the custody of the Georgia Department of Human Resources so she can receive treatment in order to help her gain competency for a later trial, Dixon explained. The competency trial is a civil action, and the jury serving on that case will not serve in the criminal trial when it occurs, Dixon added.

Police said they recovered the .38-cal. handgun used in the shooting immediately after the incident. The malice murder charge stems from the allegation that Ulrich planned the killing in advance.

At the time of the shooting, Eric Ulrich was living in Peachtree City and had legal custody of the couple’s 6-year-old daughter.

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