Man ruled competent to stand trial
The man who allegedly shot and killed a 37-year-old man inside the Maverick Bar in December is mentally competent to stand trial, the Yuma County Superior Court judge presiding over the case ruled on Wednesday, clearing the way for the case to proceed to trial.
During the hearing, Superior Court Judge Brandon Kinsey asked attorney Jerry Hernandez, of the Yuma County Public Defenders Office, who represents Carlos Moreno Leal, if he had received the final report from Yuma psychologist Dr. Ashley Bruce Hart II with his findings from the competency examination.
Hernandez answered that he had and that it recommended his client be found mentally competent to stand trial. He added that he did not know if the prosecution had received a copy of the report, but said they would probably not dispute the finding either.
After discussing the report’s findings with both counsel, Kinsey ruled that Leal was indeed competent to stand trial and scheduled his next hearing for 8:30 a.m. on May 9 for a trial setting or change of plea.
The 38-year-old Leal has been charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of misconduct involving weapons. He 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 about 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 pronounced dead.
Leal was later located in the 1300 block of South 5th Avenue and taken into custody without incident.
Roosevelt and Leal are thought to have known each other.