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Competency hearing granted after murder defendant attempts suicide
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Judge Lou D’Apolito on Monday granted a motion for a competency evaluation for an aggravated-murder defendant who attorneys said attempted suicide over the weekend in Mahoning County jail.
The motion came as trial was to begin in common pleas court for James Jarrell, 35, who is charged in the July 7, 2015, stabbing death of his stepmother, Tina Jarrell, 55, in the kitchen of her Wellington Avenue on the West Side.
Judge D’Apolito also denied a motion by Jarrell’s attorneys to withdraw.
Prosecutors opposed both motions. They did not mention how Jarrell tried to kill himself, but one of his wrists was wrapped in gauze.
Speaking in a monotone, Jarrell told the judge he has been hearing voices for at least a year, and when he tells people, no one does anything to help him.
“I feel like everyone is against me,” Jarrell said.
Assistant Prosecutor Nick Brevetta opposed both motions, saying that Jarrell is trying to do whatever he can to avoid going on trial and losing.
“This is s deliberate delaying tactic,” Brevetta said.
“Mr. Jarrell doesn’t have it in him to face the music.”
One of Jarrell’s two lawyers, Ron Yarwood, said a competency evaluation will be the best way to determine if his client can represent himself in his own defense and if his actions over the weekend are really just a delaying tactic.
“We don’t know his state of mind right now and a competency evaluation will help us determine that,” Yarwood said.
Yarwood also said he has not been able to work with his client but Judge D’Apolito disagreed, saying he has seen Jarrell and his legal team working together, especially in the last couple of weeks as the case has gotten closer to trial.
In August on the day of his bench trial, Jarrell said he wanted a new lawyer then because he was having a disagreement with his previous lawyer over documents. Judge D’Apolito then appointed Yarwood but added he would not allow Jarrell to change lawyers again.
Judge D’Apolito said because of the seriousness of the charges he wants to make sure Jarrell is competent.