On June 3, a DC Superior Court judge agreed to order a competency evaluation for a defendant currently waiting to be sentenced for murder.
In February 2020, a jury convicted 50-year-old Herman Lee Cook, Jr. of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction for the shooting of 45-year-old Donald Johnson Jr. on the 5700 block of Georgia Avenue, NW, on Aug. 8, 2016.
The prosecution did not oppose defense attorney William R. Buie‘s request for a forensic screening.
The evaluation is expected to be done by the time of the next status hearing on June 1.
Judge John Campbell set a sentencing date for Oct. 18 as a placeholder. “It may or may not be possible to advance the sentencing date,” he said.
Mark Lu wrote this article.
