DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) - A hearing will be held this spring to determine whether a Dubuque man is competent to stand trial on sexual assault and murder charges.
The Telegraph Herald reports (https://bit.ly/1oHytDP ) a judge decided a competency hearing will be held for 20-year-old Helmon Betwell on April 4.
Betwell’s attorney, Thomas Goodman, said in his motion for the hearing that a mental disorder is keeping Betwell from understanding the charges against him.
Betwell is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree sexual assault for the Sept. 1 death of 66-year-old Nancy Krapfl, of Dubuque. He is also charged with two counts of third-degree burglary.
The criminal proceedings will be put on hold while Betwell’s competency is evaluated.
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Information from: Telegraph Herald, https://www.thonline.com
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