A Montgomery County judge on Friday ruled that 22-year-old Maurquise James is not competent to stand trial on charges tied to the Valentine’s Day killing of an 87-year-old resident at a Potomac senior living facility and an alleged shooting at a Maryland State Police trooper. The judge ordered James committed to a state mental hospital after finding he is a danger to the public and scheduled a follow-up competency hearing in six months.
At a brief circuit-court hearing in Rockville, the judge accepted a new evaluation from the Maryland Department of Health and concluded that James cannot currently assist in his own defense, leading to the commitment order. Court observers said James appeared withdrawn during the in-person appearance and was represented by a public defender, according to WBAL‑TV.
Montgomery County police say James was arrested on Feb. 24 and has been charged with first-degree murder in the Feb. 14 death of 87-year-old Robert Fuller Jr., who was found shot inside his apartment at the senior home, as well as attempted first-degree murder in the alleged trooper shooting. Detectives say ballistic testing linked shell casings from the trooper stop to Fuller’s killing. The county’s Major Crimes Division outlined the arrest and evidence, and the U.S. Marshals Service reported that its fugitive task force helped local and state partners locate and apprehend James, according to the U.S. Marshals Service and the Montgomery County Department of Police.
About the victim and early coverage
Robert G. Fuller Jr., 87, was a retired attorney and philanthropist whose obituary describes decades of charitable giving to veterans’ programs, hospitals and other institutions, according to The Washington Post…