Courts
Former county supervisor candidate determined unfit to stand trial
A former 2nd District Humboldt County Board of Supervisors candidate accused of assaulting his neighbor has been deemed unfit to stand trial.
Judge Timothy Canning determined that Richard French, 75, of Hydesville, is incompetent to stand trial based on a June 23 report done by Dr. Christina Wilson.
“There is a distinction that is drawn between generalized mental health or psychiatric issues versus being able to participate as a court defendant in a court trial,” Canning said. “And what Dr. Wilson’s found is that Mr. French is not able to adequate assist his counsel and essentially is not competent to stand trial.”
Canning referred French for treatment and for preparation of a medication evaluation. Those reports are set to be received at 10:15 a.m. July 19.
“Criminal proceedings will remain suspended,” Canning said.
Before French was deemed unfit to stand trial, he tried to fire his attorney Deputy Public Defender Wade Orbelian, which Canning denied.
French was arrested after he allegedly tried to attack a neighbor with a machete over a property line dispute.
French is being held at the Humboldt County jail on $35,000 bail.
David Anderson pleads not guilty
A Eureka man accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl multiple times pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. David Anderson II, 48, pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape, one count of sodomy by use of force on a minor and one count of forcible oral copulation on a minor on or about Oct. 7, 2018. One human trafficking charge was dropped by the judge after Anderson’s preliminary hearing, where his attorney Michael Acosta alleged that count was included because of discriminatory views members of the Eureka Police Department held about Black culture.
“My client has requested a bail review hearing, too,” Acosta said.
Canning said a bail review hearing can be set in a motion by Acosta, but “bail will remain as set for now.”
A jury trial was set for 9:15 a.m. Aug. 17 with trial confirmation set for 8:30 a.m. Aug. 6.
Anderson is being held at the Humboldt County jail on $3 million bail.
Ettersburg homicide suspect’s competency hearing set for July
The competency hearing for the suspect in an Ettersburg homicide has been set for July to give the District Attorney’s Office enough time to review a second doctor’s opinion.
The competency hearing for Ryan Tanner, 32, who is accused of the murder of Jason Todd Garrett, 33, on or about Feb. 12, is tentatively set for two hours on July 22. Dr. Christina Wilson and Dr. Martin Williams each did an evaluation of
Tanner, but some of the latter’s work is proprietary and required the judge’s signature before Deputy District Attorney Whitney Timm could gain access to them.
“We have no problem getting them to her, but they are proprietary and that’s what the order is expected to protect,” said Tanner’s attorney Russell Clanton.
Judge Timothy Canning signed the order.
Tanner is being held at the Humboldt County jail on no bail.