The man charged in a daytime stabbing of a woman in downtown Detroit this September will undergo a competency evaluation before his case moves forward.
Devon Watson, 42, was ordered to undergo the examination at a Wednesday, Sept. 30, probable cause hearing in Wayne County’s 36th District Court in the death of Jaquoya Wix, 34.
Officials say Wix was on a break Sept. 20 from her job at the Chipotle on Woodward Avenue when Watson attacked her with a knife in the alley behind the business.
Watson was previously hospitalized under a court order in July, with medical professionals saying he was in acute psychosis and had Schizoaffective disorder. Watson was released in August, the Free Press previously reported.
He is charged with first-degree premeditated
murder in the case.
Watson is homeless, his lawyer, Charles Longstreet II, confirmed.
At the hearing Wednesday, Longstreet cited his own conversations with his client as a reason for an evaluation for competency to stand trial and to determine criminal responsibility.
Judge Shawn Jacque said a review for criminal responsibility wouldn’t be held until later in the court process, but did order an evaluation.
He set a review in the court matter for December.
Watson was not present at the hearing. The opposing lawyers in the case appeared via a video conference on a screen in Jacque’s courtroom.
First-degree premeditated murder is punishable by life in prison without the possibility of parole.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Competency exam ordered for man charged in downtown Detroit stabbing
