Continuance granted in local murder case

SUN STAFF WRITER

A Yuma County Superior Court judge could rule next month whether a man charged in connection to a fatal shooting last July has been restored to competency and is now able to stand trial.

Attorney Jerry Hernandez asked for continuance during a hearing on Thursday, saying that his client has been undergoing treatment in the Yuma County jail’s restoration to competency program, but he has not received a report yet.

“I was anticipating having a report by now, but I have not received one yet,” Hernandez said. “That is a little unusual.”

Hernandez represents Jimmie Roy Jordan, who has been charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, misconduct involving weapons and two counts of aggravated assault in the murder of 31-year-old Marcus Jackson.

Jackson died from his wounds at a Phoenix-area hospital. He was shot three times: once in the shoulder, once in the chest and once in the head.

The prosecution, however, informed the court that it received a report from the jail’s restoration to competency program on June 18 and would make it available to the defense.

Earlier this year, Yuma psychologist Dr. Ashley Bruce Hart II performed a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation on Jordan and determined that he was incompetent to stand trial, but was restorable.

Superior Court Judge Roger Nelson ordered that he be placed in the jail’s restoration to competency program to undergo treatment.

Under Arizona law, a person must be capable of understanding the nature and the consequences of the charges brought against them and must be able to assist in their defenses.

Since Hernandez had not seen the competency report yet, Nelson granted Hernandez’s request for a continuance and scheduled Jordan’s next hearing for 8:30 a.m. July 9.

Jordan is charged in the July 19 shooting of Jackson, who died from his wounds at a Phoenix-area hospital. He had been shot three times, once in the shoulder, once in the chest and once in the head.