Culture 4 min read By Lauren Baxter
Ex-Turnstile guitarist ordered to undergo competency evaluation in attempted murder case
Former Turnstile guitarist Brady Ebert was ordered by a Maryland judge to undergo a competency evaluation after threatening to fire his lawyer during a hearing in his attempted murder case. Ebert faces life in prison over allegations he ran over the father of Turnstile frontman Brendan Yates with his car.
Former Turnstile guitarist Brady Ebert has been ordered to undergo a competency evaluation after threatening to fire his attorney during the latest hearing in his attempted murder case. The musician, who faces a potential life sentence, appeared before Judge Eric Johnson at Montgomery County Circuit Court in Maryland, where he accused his lawyer of working with the prosecution.
Ebert is charged with attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault and two counts of second-degree assault. The charges stem from a March incident in which he allegedly struck William Yates, the 79-year-old father of Turnstile frontman Brendan Yates, with his car. Police said the incident caused trauma to the elder Yates' lower extremities.
During the hearing, Ebert pushed back against Judge Johnson's assessment that he had a good attorney, saying, «I'm going to fire him.» He also suggested his previous lawyer may have accepted a bribe. His current attorney, Mark Sobel, told the judge he had «significant concerns regarding Ebert's competency.»
Ebert responded by claiming he was «perfectly competent» and that «every part of the police report is a lie.» He told the court, «We can watch the video right now and prove my innocence. I did not commit a crime,» and said he would press charges against the police officers, prosecutors and defense attorneys involved in the case. Judge Johnson ordered the competency evaluation and scheduled another hearing for September 22, with a trial date set for October 5. Ebert remains held in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility without bail.
According to detectives, William Yates told them that Ebert had been harassing his family since Turnstile parted ways with the guitarist in 2022. The alleged incident began when Ebert drove up to William's house, honked his horn and cursed at him before driving off. Brendan Yates accused Ebert of returning to the property and intentionally hitting his father with the car, then coming back once more to tell William he «deserved it» before first responders arrived.
Turnstile released a statement after the incident explaining their decision to cut ties with Ebert, citing «a consistent pattern of harmful behaviour affecting himself, the band, and the community.» The band said their former member subjected them to «baseless tirades» over the years and that «his threats only escalated further» in recent months. They described the attack on Brendan Yates' father as an act of violence that caused severe physical trauma, adding, «We are grateful that Mr. Yates survived, has successfully undergone surgery, and we're hoping for the best possible outcome in his recovery.»
Ebert has maintained that he acted in «pure self-defence» and claimed he was «straight-up attacked.» He also reportedly told the commissioner that CCTV footage would contradict police accounts of the incident. Ebert founded a new band called The S.E.T in 2025 but was removed from the lineup earlier this year after accusing Turnstile of misusing funds from a benefit gig. He also criticized the band for posting a graphic reading «abolish ICE,» claiming they were «pandering to their audience.»
