Jennifer Aniston looks somber as stalker is found mentally incompetent for trial

Jennifer Aniston was seen in public for the first time since a harrowing encounter with an alleged stalker, looking visibly upset.

The 56-year-old actress was spotted leaving an office building in Los Angeles, mere hours after a court deemed the man accused of harassing her as mentally unfit to stand trial. The individual had been bombarding her with voicemails, emails and social media messages for two years before he drove his Chrysler PT Cruiser through the gate of her Bel Air residence, causing significant damage.

Following the frightening incident, 48-year-old Jimmy Wayne Carwyle was presented in a Los Angeles courtroom on Thursday - a venue typically used for the city's most severe mental health cases.

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He was held behind protective glass and wore a padded blue smock, usually worn by inmates at risk of self-harm, and sported a long gray beard, as per reports.

A court-appointed psychiatrist evaluated Carwyle and concluded that he was not competent to stand trial, stated his attorney, Deputy Public Defender Robert Krauss. However, he invoked his right to request a second evaluation by an independent psychiatrist.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maria Cavaluzzi approved the request and set a follow-up hearing for May 29. Neither Krauss, the prosecutor, nor an attorney representing Aniston offered comments after the hearing.

Prosecutors allege that Jennifer Aniston was the target of a relentless two-year harassment campaign by an alleged stalker, who inundated her with a barrage of voicemails, emails and social media messages.

The unsettling obsession culminated in a terrifying incident on May 5, when he reportedly rammed his Chrysler PT Cruiser through the front gate of her private Bel Air residence, causing significant damage.

During his initial court appearance, Carwyle pleaded not guilty to felony charges of stalking and vandalism. The judge temporarily halted proceedings pending a mental health evaluation.

Carwyle remains in custody under a court order prohibiting him from contacting or approaching the Friends star. Authorities confirmed that Aniston was at home during the incident but did not interact with the suspect.

A security guard detained him in the driveway until police arrived. No injuries were reported.

In addition to the charges, Carwyle is also facing an enhancement for posing a risk of causing great bodily harm. If deemed competent and subsequently convicted, he could face up to three years in prison.

If ruled incompetent again, he may be committed to a state psychiatric facility for treatment and further evaluation. Prosecutors have yet to publicly comment on his mental competency.

Meanwhile, reports suggest Aniston is fleeing Hollywood amid the ongoing drama, with sources claiming she now prefers the privacy of her $15 million mansion in Montecito.

“Jen is happy to have a safe place to run to where she can let her hair down,” an insider told The Daily Mail. “Though she loves Los Angeles because it is where she grew up, she is craving more of a country setting these days away from the noise.” She is best known for her Emmy-winning role as Rachel Green on Friends, and currently stars in The Morning Show on Apple TV+.