Competency Decision Postponed for Forgetful Murder Defendant

By Alexander Taylor [former] - June 28, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | Suspects |

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Gale E. Rasin was not able to make a decision on the competency of a March 2023 murder defendant in mental health court on June 26 because he did not remember the competency screening.

During the hearing, Roger Alvarado-Mendoza, 24, who spoke through a Spanish interpreter, told his defense attorney Antonios Heper that he did not remember getting an evaluation.

Alvarado-Mendoza is charged with first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime, carrying a handgun on his person and carrying a handgun within 100 yards of the public in relation to the March 6, 2023, murder of 16-year-old Izaiah Carter on the 500 block of East Pratt Street. 

“I find that extraordinary,” Judge Rasin said, citing a report from a three-hour-long evaluation of Alvarado-Mendoza. She then asked him about specific details of the report and each time he responded by saying he did not know. 

Afterwards, both Judge Rasin and Heper wanted Alvarado-Mendoza’s supposed memory loss to be investigated by medical staff, so the hearing — and the decision on whether he is competent to stand trial — was postponed until July 3.  

During the trial, the defendant also expressed that he wished to speak to Spanish-speaking staff instead of speaking through an interpreter.