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Tucson man accused in murders incompetent to assist defense

Tucson man accused in murders incompetent to assist defense
Posted at 6:42 AM, Nov 27, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-27 08:42:37-05

A man accused of fatally shooting his wife in 2016 and the asphyxiation death of his jail cellmate the following year has been ruled incompetent to assist in his trial defense.
    

Pima County Superior Court officials say King Yates is facing two charges of first-degree murder along with two felony charges of prohibited possession of a firearm and a felony trespassing charge.
    
Reports say that Yates has been acting as his own lawyer after firing his two previous attorneys.
    
In his most recent evaluation, doctors say Yates wasn't competent to proceed but medications would likely assist in his restoration to competency.
    
A Jan. 7 status conference is scheduled to review the competency status of Yates, who remains jailed on a $2 million bond.