DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt denied a defense attorney’s request to rule a homicide defendant incompetent to stand trial and granted prosecutors more time to evaluate the defendant’s competency during a hearing on Aug. 11.
Jafekka Harris, 33, is charged with second-degree murder for her alleged involvement in the fatal beating of 79-year-old Bettie Duke on the 3100 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE on Oct. 5, 2024.
According to court records, the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) found Harris incompetent three times this year, but said each time that she was likely to attain competence in the foreseeable future. After each competency finding, a judge ordered inpatient competency restoration treatment for Harris at Saint Elizabeths Hospital for psychiatric patients.
During the hearing, Judge Brandt denied a request by Harris’ attorney Kevin Mosley to deem Harris incompetent to stand trial at this time.
The prosecution requested their own expert evaluate Harris’ competency and asked for 60 days to allow DBH to submit additional information about the defendant.
Judge Brandt granted prosecutors a 30 day extension to probe Harris’ competency but said she will rule on the matter at the next hearing regardless of whether DBH provides more information or not.
Judge Brandt also made it clear to parties where she was leading toward incompetence based on medical information already submitted. Harris can’t stand trial unless she can understand the charges against her and help her attorney.
Parties are slated to reconvene on Sept. 11 for another mental observation hearing.
