BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) - The case against a man charged with tying up and fatally stabbing a Burlington social worker in 2010 has been delayed.
A judge was set to hear testimony on Jose Pazos’ mental competency at a hearing on Monday. The 51-year-old Pazos was found incompetent to stand trial by a Burlington judge in 2014.
A judge on Monday ruled that a delay would be appropriate after a psychiatrist who completed a competency evaluation of Pazos alleged in his report that Pazos’ lawyer advised his client not to cooperate with the evaluation as a “tactic.” Pazos’ lawyer denied the allegations.
The judge ruled that another lawyer would need to defend Pazos during competency proceedings.
Pazos has pleaded not guilty to premediated murder in the stabbing death of 50-year-old Kathleen Smith in her home.
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