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Brian Brush
An attorney representing North River Boats Inc. owner Brian Brush asked for a delay so Brush could be evaluated to see if he's competent to stand trial, court officials said this afternoon.
Pacific County,Wash., Superior Court Judge Michael Sullivan ordered Brush to be transferred to Western State Hospital near Tacoma for a 14-day competency evaluation, said Virginia Leach, ex-officio clerk of the South Bend, Wash., court.
Brush, who is charged with first-degree murder with aggravating factors, was scheduled to be arraigned and enter a preliminary plea this morning.
Instead, defense attorney David Hatch told the court he couldn't communicate with his client, Brush, according to the Chinook Observer newspaper of Long Beach, Wash.
Hatch also said Brush family members had told him Brush has been treated before for mental health problems.
Leach said, for security reasons, the Pacific County Jail does not disclose when prisoners will be transferred.
During Brush's court appearance, he “just sat with his head down,” said reporter Nancy Butterfield who covered the court proceeding for the Observer.
He didn't speak and appeared to have lost some weight since his last court appearance two weeks prior, she added.
Also this morning, Pacific County prosecutor David Burke filed a firearms sentence enhancement to the charges he previously filed against Brush.
The enhancement reflects the claim that Brush allegedly used a shotgun in the murder of his ex-girlfriend Lisa Bonney of Long Beach. If convicted on the charges, the enhancement could lengthen Brush's sentence.
During the court appearance, the attorneys discussed there is no room at Washington's state-owned psychiatric hospital at this time, the Observer reported.
The court set a status hearing on Brush's case for Nov. 6, Leach said.
Brush has been accused of killing Bonney in broad daylight on Sept. 11 on a paved beach approach in Long Beach. Police have described Bonney as an on-again, off-again girlfriend of Brush's.
Three police officers saw Brush allegedly pointing a shotgun at Bonney, who was found in the grass near the sidewalk. She had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, an autopsy showed.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation accused Brush and North River Boats of wire fraud earlier this year. Several other lawsuits against the company and him are pending in other Oregon counties.
• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@nrtoday.com.
Pacific County,Wash., Superior Court Judge Michael Sullivan ordered Brush to be transferred to Western State Hospital near Tacoma for a 14-day competency evaluation, said Virginia Leach, ex-officio clerk of the South Bend, Wash., court.
Brush, who is charged with first-degree murder with aggravating factors, was scheduled to be arraigned and enter a preliminary plea this morning.
Instead, defense attorney David Hatch told the court he couldn't communicate with his client, Brush, according to the Chinook Observer newspaper of Long Beach, Wash.
Hatch also said Brush family members had told him Brush has been treated before for mental health problems.
Leach said, for security reasons, the Pacific County Jail does not disclose when prisoners will be transferred.
During Brush's court appearance, he “just sat with his head down,” said reporter Nancy Butterfield who covered the court proceeding for the Observer.
He didn't speak and appeared to have lost some weight since his last court appearance two weeks prior, she added.
Also this morning, Pacific County prosecutor David Burke filed a firearms sentence enhancement to the charges he previously filed against Brush.
The enhancement reflects the claim that Brush allegedly used a shotgun in the murder of his ex-girlfriend Lisa Bonney of Long Beach. If convicted on the charges, the enhancement could lengthen Brush's sentence.
During the court appearance, the attorneys discussed there is no room at Washington's state-owned psychiatric hospital at this time, the Observer reported.
The court set a status hearing on Brush's case for Nov. 6, Leach said.
Brush has been accused of killing Bonney in broad daylight on Sept. 11 on a paved beach approach in Long Beach. Police have described Bonney as an on-again, off-again girlfriend of Brush's.
Three police officers saw Brush allegedly pointing a shotgun at Bonney, who was found in the grass near the sidewalk. She had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, an autopsy showed.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation accused Brush and North River Boats of wire fraud earlier this year. Several other lawsuits against the company and him are pending in other Oregon counties.
• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@nrtoday.com.
