An Alameda County Superior Court judge temporarily suspended the murder case against a man accused of fatally shooting revered Laney College football coach John Beam — after the man’s attorney raised doubts about his mental ability to understand the proceedings.
Judge Thomas Reardon ruled Wednesday that there was sufficient doubt on defendant Cedric Irving Jr.’s mental competency and ordered he undergo a mental health evaluation. Reardon made the decision after hearing from Irving’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Sydney Levin, in private.
Irving, 27, was charged with murder and a gun enhancement in the aftermath of Beam’s killing. If convicted, he could face up to 50 years to life in prison, but if psychiatrists or psychologists find Irving incompetent to face a court trial, a judge could send him to a state hospital for treatment until he’s deemed competent to stand trial. The evaluation report is due Feb. 27…