Tacoma man accused of stabbing mother to death found incompetent to stand trial
A man charged with first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of his 61-year-old mother was found incompetent to stand trial due to mental illness.
Learry Suong, 31, was arrested in March 2020 after allegedly using a knife to stab his mother to death when she came home to the apartment they shared, according to charging papers. At the time, Suong told police he was tired of his mother yelling at him.
Suong’s charges were dismissed Tuesday at a competency hearing in Pierce County Superior Court. Prosecutor’s office spokesperson Adam Faber said in an email the judge signed an order directing Suong to be evaluated for possible civil commitment.
A competency assessment filed Aug. 17 reported Suong “lacks the capacity to understand the nature of the proceedings against him.” It also states he “lacks the capacity to assist in his defense with a reasonable degree of rational understanding, due to continued symptoms of a mental illness.”
In the assessment, Suong wasn’t able to engage with his evaluator in a logical or rational manner, according to the court filing.
The psychologist who evaluated Suong wrote in the assessment that Suong’s symptoms of mental illness made it difficult for him to process information or engage logically with others.
Suong was admitted to Western State Hospital in September 2020, according to the assessment. He was transferred to a different ward in March 2021 after the court ordered a final evaluation and up to 180 days to try to restore Suong’s competency.
The psychologist wrote that Suong’s symptoms of mental illness were ongoing following the end of his assessment period.
Suong’s defense attorney, Mary K. High, said in a brief phone interview Friday that Suong has a long history of severe and persistent mental health issues. She said these issues made it impossible for him to constitutionally proceed with the trial.
Suong has five prior felony convictions. In 2010, he was accused of choking his mother and punching her boyfriend when he tried to intervene. Suong pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and was sentenced to just over a year in prison.
The mother got a restraining order against Suong following the assault.
This story was originally published August 27, 2021 at 3:59 PM.
