Central Avenue Homicide Defendant Cleared by Judge to Take Competency Exam

By Amna Syed [former] - September 21, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

On Sept. 20, 24-year-old homicide defendant Jayquan Bridgeman was cleared to take a competency exam by Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Gale E. Rasin. 

Stand-in defense attorney Sharon Bogins explained that she received an email from defense attorney Isabel Lipman regarding Bridgeman’s previous hearing on Sept. 12. The email stated that Judge Jeffrey M. Geller raised the issue of competency, and after consulting with the present counsel on that day, believed that a competency exam was necessary for the defendant. 

Lipman also stated in her email that there were certain behaviors that the defendant was performing during the hearing on Sept. 12, including him wanting to represent himself but suddenly changing his mind and not wanting Lipman to talk to him or refer to him at all after she began using legal terms he could not understand.

Bogins read another email which was sent to her on July 28, explaining that Bridgeman was being detained at the Chesapeake Detention Facility. At this center, Bridgeman was diagnosed with schizophrenia but refused to engage in treatment. He showed symptoms of standing and screaming in the shower for hours, screaming while throwing his hands in the air and other unusual behaviors. 

Bridgeman is charged with first-degree murder and having a deadly weapon with intent to injure in connection to an Oct. 5, 2022, incident.

Documents from the District Court of Maryland for Baltimore City state that an officer responded to the 1400 block of N. Central Ave in reference to a cutting. Upon arrival, the officer was met by a witness who identified the defendant and the victim, 43-year-old Michael Washington.

The witness advised the police that Bridgeman stabbed Washington with a switchblade in the abdomen, documents state.

Court documents also state that the defendant came to the victim’s residence and began assaulting Washington for no apparent reason. A witness stated that Bridgeman told Washington that he was going to “kill him” and reached for his switchblade, stabbing the victim.

The defendant allegedly fled the scene and returned to his mother’s house. However, by this time, police had already arrived.