DAKOTA CITY, Neb. (AP) - A judge has ruled a man competent to be tried on a murder charge in northeast Nebraska.
Dakota County District Court records say the judge made the ruling after a hearing last week for Andres Surber, who lives in Wakefield. He’s pleaded not guilty to murder and related charges stemming from the November 2016 slaying of 41-year-old Kraig Kubik at Kubik’s home in Emerson. Another man charged, Brayan Galvan-Hernandez, has been sentenced to 50 to 60 years in prison.
In April 2017 Judge Paul Vaughan found Surber not mentally competent to stand trial. In March this year the judge granted prosecutors’ request to make Surber take anti-psychotic medication at the state psychiatric hospital. In August he dropped his appeal of the judge’s ruling that he was incompetent for trial.
Last week the judge found Surber competent, in line with a report submitted by a state psychiatrist.
Surber’s next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 12.
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