Man charged in murder now undergoing competency exam
A Superior Court Judge on Wednesday granted the request of the attorney representing the man who allegedly shot and killed a 37-year-old man inside the Maverick Bar in December for a continuance.
Appearing before Judge Brandon Kinsey, attorney, Jerry Hernandez, of the Yuma County Public Defender’s Office, who represents Carlos Moreno Leal, updated the court on the status of the case against his client.
Hernandez, in asking for the continuance, explained that his client is undergoing a Rule 11 competency examination, and he is still awaiting the results of the test. A Rule 11 proceeding is where a doctor will determine whether or not a person is able to assist their attorney in their defense and whether or not they truly understand the proceedings against them.
When asked about the status of the evaluation, the prosecutor informed the court that an appointment has been made, but the examination hasn’t taken place yet.
After hearing from both counsel, Judge Kinsey granted Hernandez’s request for a continuance and scheduled Leal’s next hearing for 8:30 a.m. on April 11.
The 38-year-old Leal, has been charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of misconduct involving weapons. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and remains in custody in the Yuma County jail on a $1 million, cash-only bond.
According to Yuma police, officers responded to the Maverick Bar, 1460 S. 4th Ave., at approximately 12:39 a.m. on Dec. 17, in reference to an aggravated assault. When they arrived on scene, they found a man with a gunshot wound. The man, identified as Joseph Benjamin Roosevelt, was transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.
Leal was later located in the 1300 block of South 5th Avenue and taken into custody without incident. Roosevelt, the victim, and Leal are thought to have known each other.