Murder Defendant Not Competent To Stand Trial, Report Says

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On Oct. 21, a murder defendant’s mental health evaluation revealed that she is still not competent to stand trial.

Alisa Randall, 31, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 59-year-old Ronald Jones in an apartment on the 1300 block of Euclid Street, NW. Randall was arrested on July 15, but it is unclear when Jones was stabbed in the chest.

DC Superior Court Judge Iscoe ordered Randall be sent back to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, DC’s psychiatric hospital, for competency restoration.

Randall was first sent to St. Elizabeth’s for a mental health evaluation in August. Judge Iscoe ruled then that she was not competent to stand trial on Aug 23. After spending 60 days at the hospital, Judge Iscoe once again ruled that the defendant was not competent to stand trial. 

According to court documents, Randall’s competency was unable to be completely restored. The specifics of why restoration was unsuccessful were sealed.

Attorneys John Fowler and Ashley Prather-Guzman said Randall should not be held to the  substantial probability standard of being competent to stand trial because the mental health report did not state with certainty that full competency would be restored. 

Defense counsel requested that Randall be released under a ruling that said mentally incompetent people cannot be involuntarily held for an indefinite period of time based solely on their permanent incompetency to stand trial.

Judge Iscoe denied the claim, saying there was no basis for the argument. He said the mental health report states that Randall is still “likely” to gain competency, it does not state that she will not restore full competency.

Judge Iscoe ordered Randall be evaluated again and that this time the report state if full competency could be restored.

Randall’s next mental observation hearing is scheduled on Oct. 31.

She is currently being held St. Elizabeths.

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