Man accused of killing transgender UW student found incompetent to stand trial
The man accused of killing a transgender University of Washington student has been ordered to spend up to 90 days at Western State Hospital after a judge found him mentally incompetent to stand trial.Christopher Leahy, 31, is charged with murder in the death of 19-year-old Juniper Blessing, a transgender UW student who was found dead in the laundry room of an off-campus apartment complex in May. ALSO SEE | Judge orders mental competency evaluation for man accused of stabbing UW student to deathKing County prosecutors allege Leahy stabbed Blessing more than 40 times.At a hearing Monday in King County Superior Court, Judge Joe Campagna ordered Leahy to undergo competency restoration treatment at Western State Hospital after medical experts determined he is not competent to stand trial and cannot currently assist in his own defense."The court finds Mr. Leahy is not able to proceed in this matter at this time and orders restoration," Campagna said in court.Leahy had already been at Western State Hospital for a mental health evaluation after his attorneys raised concerns about his competency earlier this month. The evaluation concluded he is currently incompetent to stand trial. He will remain at the hospital for up to 90 days of treatment while doctors determine whether his competency can be restored.No details have been released about the nature of Leahy's mental health condition. His attorneys have asked the court to seal some case documents, arguing they reveal defense strategy and could identify potential expert witnesses.LGBTQIA+ advocates attended Monday's hearing, saying they plan to remain involved throughout the legal proceedings in honor of Blessing.The amount of pain that our community has been forced to hold with this atrocity is not OK," said Axton Burton of Pride Across the Bridge. "We've been connected with Juniper's parent and have been holding space for her through all of this. Being able to bear witness is very important to us.Leahy is scheduled to return to court in September, when a judge will review his competency status. If doctors determine he remains incompetent to stand trial, the court can order additional competency restoration treatment at Western State Hospital. According to the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, the competency restoration process can take up to one year.
