Hearing delayed again in armed robbery case
A Yuma County Superior Court judge on Tuesday continued a hearing for the man charged in connection to the armed robbery of a Foothills truck stop until next month so the details of a possible treatment to restore the man’s competency can be discussed.
When asked to provide the court with an update on the status of the case, attorney Cynthia Brubaker of the Yuma County Public Defender’s Office requested that the hearing be postponed. She reminded Superior Court Judge Brandon Kinsey, who is presiding over the case, that she and the prosecutor have a meeting scheduled with him on Friday.
Brubaker, who represents Jimmy McMullin, also requested that her client’s next hearing be scheduled for sometime after Friday.
McMullin has been charged with one count of armed robbery and one count of aggravated assault, both of which are felonies. He has also undergone a mental competency evaluation in which a psychologist determined he was restorable, but was not yet competent to stand trial.
During McMullin’s previous hearing, which was held in June, Brubaker informed the court that she has since spoken with the psychologist who told her about another potential method for restoring her client’s competence, one that did not include placing him in Yuma County jail’s restoration to competency program.
Since the prosecution offered no objection, Superior Court Judge Brandon Kinsey granted Brubaker’s request for a continuance and rescheduled the hearing for 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 6.
Judge Kinsey has not ruled on McMullin’s competency status yet. Competence, in legal terms, means that the defendant is aware of the proceedings against him or her and is able to assist a defense attorney.
McMullin, who was on probation at the time he allegedly committed the armed robbery, also has two other cases pending against him, one of which is a probation violation. All three cases are being handled together.
McMullin is charged in connection with the armed robbery of the J Travel Plaza at 10800 N. Frontage Road at about 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 18, 2018.