Judge orders competency exam in killing of Yale grad student
NEW HAVEN — A Superior Court judge on Tuesday ordered a competency hearing for the man accused of shooting and killing Yale graduate student Kevin Jiang last year.
In what was supposed to be a probable cause hearing after a series of delays, Qinxuan Pan’s attorney, Norm Pattis, made a motion Tuesday morning for his client to get the competency exam. Pattis noted his efforts to discuss certain aspects of the case with Pan have been fruitless. He is not sure, though, whether his client is unable or is refusing to speak with him.
Court marshals ushered Pan, wearing a bright yellow jumpsuit and a facial mask, into the courtroom for the hearing that was attended by more than a dozen of Jiang’s family and friends, some of whom had flown in from other states.
Pattis noted that witnesses of the crime gave various accounts of who was at the scene and said there was possibly another person involved.
“It may be he was merely present,” Pattis argued. He said he doesn’t know a motive his client would’ve had for the crime.
Pattis said he can’t get a straight answer from his client on whether another person was involved, prompting the motion.
Pattis said the firearm used in the crime has never been recovered, but the types of bullet casings found at the scene were connected with other incidents.
Pattis also acknowledged that he could have made the motion six months ago.
“I wish you had,” Senior Judge Jon M. Alander said.
Alander then scheduled a hearing on Pan’s competency evaluation for Nov. 7.
Linda Liu, Jiang’s mother, stood in the hallway outside the courtroom after the proceeding with more than a dozen family members and friends circled around her. The group bowed their heads in prayer and asked for justice.
“The suspect is afraid to face the truth,” Liu told Hearst Connecticut Media, alluding to the hearing being delayed multiple times. “I hope to have justice.”
Jiang was shot and killed on Lawrence Street in New Haven’s East Rock neighborhood on Feb. 6, 2021.
Pan allegedly stole a GMC Terrain that day and changed his cellphone number before coming to Connecticut, according to a police report from Mansfield, Mass.
North Haven police later stopped Pan that evening as he drove onto railroad tracks near Sims Metal Management.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, officers let Pan go since they had received a different description for the New Haven homicide suspect.
After fleeing Connecticut, Pan was arrested in May 2021. He has not yet entered a plea to the murder charge.
Since the single mother lost her only son, Liu said she has received love and support from the community.
Jiang was born in Seattle and raised in Chicago. He served as an environmental scientist/engineer officer and tank operator in the U.S. Army and National Guard. He graduated from the University of Washington before going to Yale.
About a week before his death, Jiang got engaged to Zion Perry, also a graduate student at Yale.
Jason Ramos, a friend of Jiang’s, said he was in the courtroom Tuesday morning to support Jiang’s family.
“He is still remembered,” Ramos added.
Another friend, Anderson Cerda, said Jiang will never be forgotten.