Defense Counsel Withdraws Immediate Competency Eval Request

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Defense counsel for a homicide defendant withdrew his request of an immediate competency evaluation for his client, allowing the court to complete the evaluation within the next two months.

During mental health court on Nov. 10, the defense counsel informed Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Gale E. Rasin that it was not necessary for an immediate competency evaluation for his client, 29-year-old Epenetus Henriques. Rather than complete an immediate competency evaluation in the general 10-day timeframe, Judge Rasin said the court would have 60 days to complete the evaluation.

The Maryland Judiciary website states that Henriques is scheduled for reception court on Dec. 2 and will return to mental health court on Jan. 5, 2022.

Henriques is charged with first-degree murder and use of a deadly weapon with the intent to injure in connection to the death of his 29-year-old roommate Isaiah Drummond on Jan. 23, 2020.

According to WBAL TV, Drummond’s family members reported him missing on Jan. 28, 2020, after not hearing from him for about a week. Police later went to the victim’s home on the 2500 block of Cecil Avenue and found evidence of foul play.

Henriques was later arrested and told police that he stabbed Drummond and put his body in shallow water off of 100 Reedbird Avenue.

The defendant was previously offered a plea for first-degree murder in August, which he rejected.