Audio By Carbonatix
Former newspaper reporter and accused armed robber Joe Watson is competent enough to stand trial, after all.
Call it temporary insanity: Back in November, Watson — who’s accused of ripping off tanning salons — was deemed too whacked to understand what was going on around him. A judge ordered a competency evaluation and hearing by the state’s mental health care provider, Magellan, which found that Watson would be fine with the right meds.
A new court order from earlier this month restores Watson to “competent” status and orders him to take his medicine for the rest of the trial.
When news happens, Phoenix New Times is there —
Your support strengthens our coverage.
We’re aiming to raise $30,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to you. If New Times matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.
For Watson, the entire “incompetent” episode seems to only have gotten him a few more months in Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s jail.