Niner
Long time Websleuther
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2003
- Messages
- 86,629
- Reaction score
- 291,519
This article is for the 1/6/20 hearing he had.
Oakland: Alleged BART stabber enters plea
January 8, 2020 at 11:54 am | UPDATED: January 9, 2020 at 4:35 am
OAKLAND — The man accused of killing 18-year-old Nia Wilson was back in court Wednesday morning to enter a formal plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.
Although John Lee Cowell, 29, had already entered the plea in November via his attorney Christina Moore, as a formality, Cowell had to personally say the words himself on Wednesday. Cowell is accused of killing Wilson and the attempted murder of her sister Letifah Wilson on July 22, 2018, at the MacArthur BART station. The death caused a national reaction that it was a race-fueled hate crime; however, Cowell has not been charged with a hate crime.
[.....]
On Wednesday, Judge Cramer also told Cowell that a separate psychiatrist will be evaluating him on Friday at Santa Rita Jail; Cramer asked that Cowell cooperate with the physician in that exam. Cowell recently refused to meet with a female doctor.
The doctor to evaluate him on Friday, UC Davis psychiatrist Dr. Jason Roof, will in essence determine if there is enough evidence to ask for a full competency hearing for Cowell. But if he finds Cowell competent, the trial continues as planned. Cowell’s defense attorney, Moore, recently again expressed doubt about Cowell’s competency to defend himself in a trial.
[.....]
Judge Cramer will receive the doctor’s report on Jan. 15, the same day jury selection is expected to begin. Another competency hearing, in which more doctors would be appointed to evaluate Cowell, could further delay the start of evidence in the jury trial.
Oakland: Alleged BART stabber enters plea
January 8, 2020 at 11:54 am | UPDATED: January 9, 2020 at 4:35 am
OAKLAND — The man accused of killing 18-year-old Nia Wilson was back in court Wednesday morning to enter a formal plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.
Although John Lee Cowell, 29, had already entered the plea in November via his attorney Christina Moore, as a formality, Cowell had to personally say the words himself on Wednesday. Cowell is accused of killing Wilson and the attempted murder of her sister Letifah Wilson on July 22, 2018, at the MacArthur BART station. The death caused a national reaction that it was a race-fueled hate crime; however, Cowell has not been charged with a hate crime.
[.....]
On Wednesday, Judge Cramer also told Cowell that a separate psychiatrist will be evaluating him on Friday at Santa Rita Jail; Cramer asked that Cowell cooperate with the physician in that exam. Cowell recently refused to meet with a female doctor.
The doctor to evaluate him on Friday, UC Davis psychiatrist Dr. Jason Roof, will in essence determine if there is enough evidence to ask for a full competency hearing for Cowell. But if he finds Cowell competent, the trial continues as planned. Cowell’s defense attorney, Moore, recently again expressed doubt about Cowell’s competency to defend himself in a trial.
[.....]
Judge Cramer will receive the doctor’s report on Jan. 15, the same day jury selection is expected to begin. Another competency hearing, in which more doctors would be appointed to evaluate Cowell, could further delay the start of evidence in the jury trial.