WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Admiral attack defendant found incompetent; 2 reader reports

| Crime | West Seattle news

We start this morning’s West Seattle Crime Watch report with an update on the Admiral assault case:

KIERRA WARD FOUND NOT COMPETENT: At a Thursday hearing, a judge ordered Admiral attack defendant Kierra Ward sent to Western State Hospital for up to 90 days for treatment that will attempt to restore competency so she can stand trial. A recent evaluation (ordered last month) found Ward incompetent, deemed to have untreated schizophrenia. She has been jailed in lieu of $400,000 bail since she was arrested last October and charged with stabbing an Admiral woman who was out for a walk with her baby. With the new order in the case, the next hearing is scheduled for late September.

Also in Crime Watch, two reader reports:

HIT-RUN: From Creek, whose wife was hit in a multiple-vehicle crash on the West Seattle Bridge: “Vehicular assault, hit and run on the West Seattle Bridge early (Thursday) afternoon. Multiple cars damaged. White box truck. Last seen in Admiral Junction area. White male, 40-50 years old, long blondish hair, no shirt, short/thin build, khaki shorts. Call the police immediately if you have any info.”

CAR PROWL: From Derek: “(Wednesday) night someone car prowled and ransacked a trailer, box truck and multiple vehicles at our business property located at 5405 West Marginal Way SW.”

NSAlki July 13, 2018 (3:43 pm)

You cannot cure a violent person with schizophrenia in 90 days I would think? If at all.I suspect this is what will happen:”(d) If at any time during the proceeding the court finds, following notice and hearing, a defendant is not likely to regain competency, the court shall dismiss the proceedings without prejudice and refer the defendant for civil commitment evaluation or proceedings if appropriate under RCW 10.77.065, 10.77.086, or 10.77.088.”

WSB July 13, 2018 (4:13 pm)

Restoration does not mean cure. It means treatment aimed at at least restoring enough sanity that the defendant can comprehend trial proceedings and assist in their own defense. The case documents have many more details but for example, there is a line in one of the orders that says “If at the end of the restoration period, the defendant remains incompetent, the defendant shall remain at WSH until further order of the court.” P.S. Similar process to what Ryan Cox, arrested last August, has been going through. His next hearing is next week. – TR
- native July 14, 2018 (12:54 pm)
  
  thanks for the update WSB. now would hope that following treatment and evaluation she is able to stand trial, and correct…. that 90 days won’t fix the illness but at least set the basis for treatment or prison.
Katie July 14, 2018 (5:47 am)

Medication could very easily render her competent to stand trial in 90 days. That’s a pretty low threshold. The only time the law you cited would apply, would be for someone whose condition was not responsive medication.
- Your Friendly Neighbor July 15, 2018 (3:51 pm)
  
  Getting the right combination of medications to treat a patient with schizophrenia can be complex and take some time to become effective.

Beckyjo July 13, 2018 (6:31 pm)

Any updates on Anna Kasparova, and or Able Linares?

WSB July 13, 2018 (7:06 pm)

Next hearing’s in September. Their case has been in the more standard hearing/postpone/hearing/postpone stage.

Sarelly July 14, 2018 (8:10 am)

According to the Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights, which gets its statistics from the federal government somewhere I don’t know about, 65% of the national prison population is mentally ill, and the incarceration rate is about five people of color to every one white prisoner.

WSB July 14, 2018 (8:57 am)

While certainly this defendant is in both those categories, she also is in one that is a decidedly disproportionately low percentage of America’s incarcerated population – female. https://www.statista.com/chart/11573/gender-of-inmates-in-us-federal-prisons-and-general-population/

anonyme July 14, 2018 (9:13 am)

Mental health care in this country is woefully inadequate due to prohibitive cost, lack of accessibility, and stagnant methodology. The most common approach is heavy medication while leaving the patient to self monitor and self medicate- which doesn’t work very well, especially given the debilitating side effects of many of these meds. Some real innovation is needed in this field that looks beyond pharmaceuticals and talk therapy. Meanwhile, people suffering from mental illness end up in prison. Aside from the fairness issue, this is not a reasonable or cost-effective approach. Sadly, I don’t see anything changing soon.

AIDM July 14, 2018 (2:47 pm)

This is the Ryan Cox boomerang all over again: commits crime, found incompetent to stand trial, committed to state hostpital, meds begin to work, released 120 days later, goes off meds , commits crime, … and the crimes keep getting worse and worse.

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