Austin machete attack survivor reacts to no trial for attacker

AUSTIN, Texas - Short walks are not part of Seth Gott’s rehab routine. But each step, like each new day, is a big part of his recovery.

"And every little thing that I'm able to do, I have such a greater sense of gratitude for being able to write or use my phone or move or speak," said Gott.  

Back in January, Seth Gott was in the hospital after being attacked by a man with a machete. There were deep cuts to his head and back. His right hand was nearly cut off, requiring several surgeries to reattach it. Seth has spent the past several weeks working with a rehab specialist to regain the use of his hand.

"They're the best. Every worker that I've come into contact with since this has happened has shown me so much kindness. And I've been helped so much. I like to shout out my doctor, Dr. Egeland, who put all this back together so amazingly. It's been incredible. And, my physical and my occupational therapists have been amazing. All of the nurses that I've worked with, all of the people in administration who, you know, help me figure out billing and scheduling and everything like that have been so kind of cooperative that, you know, it's just incredible," said Gott.

It’s been a slow and sometimes painful process. But there's progress.

"I'm able to close and grip. I can use about five pounds of force right now. We're working our way up to 15 within the next couple of weeks," said Gott. 

His recovery has improved to where Seth can now drive to a part-time job. This fall, he also plans to restart his ACC classes.

"It's hard to connect, seeing what happened to me that day and looking at these scars on my hand. It doesn't feel like the same injuries at all sometimes," said Gott. 

Going to a courtroom is something Seth will not be doing. There will be no trial for Ashton Talley, the man who attacked Seth on Austin's hike and bike trail.

"I absolutely expected it. I mean, Seeing him face to face that day. It was, you know, clear as day that this man needed some, some mental help," said Gott.

Officials with the Travis County District Attorney's office notified Seth that a judge determined that Talley is not mentally competent to stand trial.

"Everybody, you know, deserves, a fair trial. And if you can't understand, you know, what he's being charged with or anything like that, and he absolutely needs to receive some mental help," said Gott.  

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Justice, for Seth, isn't limited to a jail cell. 

"What he did is certainly his fault, but I think we as a city and as a country share some of the blame, that, you know, somebody could be in a position like that when we, we do have the resources to prevent stuff like this happening," said Gott.

Seth offered a broader idea about accountability.

"Justice for me is seeing my city officials work as hard as they can to not let something like this happen again," said Gott.  

The scars will certainly remain, but Seth told FOX 7 he refuses to live in fear.

"I think there's life lessons everywhere. I think, you know, in the same way that you might feel a little bit more gratitude when you get in a near-miss car crash, just, you know, think about how beautiful it is to survive and how little the things you worry about actually matter. So, I think have some gratitude for how beautiful life is. And maybe if you can do something to prevent something like this happening again, then you probably should," said Gott.

Ashton Talley remains in the Travis County Jail awaiting transfer to a state mental hospital. That wait can take months, if not years, depending on availability from the state. FOX 7 is told mental health treatment is provided in the county jail for these types of inmates.