DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt continued a preliminary hearing after learning a murder defendant was deemed mentally incompetent by the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH), and requested a another mental health evaluation on Nov. 8.
Jafekka Harris, 33, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the fatal beating of Bettie Duke, 79, on Oct. 5 on the 3100 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE.
According to court documents, the incident stemmed from an alleged physical altercation, during which the victim lapsed into a coma and died shortly thereafter.
During the hearing, Harris’ defense attorney, Kevin Mosley, informed the court that the defendant was determined not competent during a prior misdemeanor hearing, and she is currently held at St. Elizabeths.
Mosley also disclosed that he will likely pursue an insanity defense. Mosley elaborated that the defense has received no evidence in discovery and is unprepared for the scheduled preliminary hearing.
Judge Brandt granted the parties a continuance while filling out a duplicate of at the mental health evaluation request filed for the misdemeanor case.
The parties are set to reconvene Dec. 3.
