Homicide Defendant Found Mentally Competent To Stand Trial

By Hypatia Fitzsimons [former] - December 4, 2023
Uncategorized |

On Dec. 4, homicide defendant Darryl Thompkins was found competent to proceed to trial.

Thompkins, 34, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the deaths of 29-year-old Edward Roberts Jr. and 23-year-old Tyler McEachern. Roberts was fatally shot on the 3500 block of 14th Street, NW, on July 30, 2016. McEarchern was fatally shot on the 3100 block of Buena Vista Terrace, SE, on Aug. 29, 2016. 

According to court documents, mental competency examinations have been requested on multiple occasions for Thompkins. On June 6, DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe ordered a mental competency exam through the Department of Mental Health. 

According to Judge O’Keefe, Thompkins refused to do the examination. However, the examiner did find Tompkins competent to stand trial by referencing previous medical reports and court documents. 

Thompkins told the judge his concerns about constitutional rights and cross-examining witnesses. Judge O’Keefe assured Thompkins his Constitutional rights would be upheld and the questions he raised “are trial issues that we will hopefully get to soon.”

Judge O’Keefe added there had been delays in the case due to the numerous mental competency examinations.  

The parties will reconvene on Dec. 11.