By Pablo Lopez
The Fresno Bee
A 69-year-old Fresno man who police say has confessed to killing his wife in October is legally competent to stand trial, a Fresno County Superior Court jury has ruled.
Pech Sok is an uneducated Cambodian refugee who knows little English and has lived a miserable life, lawyers told jurors this week during Sok's competency hearing. He was tortured in Cambodia and his first wife died there, the lawyers said.
He hasn't fared much better in Fresno. In August 1998, Sok's second wife, Eng Ath, and two of the couple's children, Sophan and Sopheap, drowned in the San Joaquin River while fishing.
Now, Sok is charged with killing his third wife, Bouen Say, 61, who was stabbed to death at the couple's home in the 400 block of South Woodrow Avenue on Oct. 1. After the attack, police said, Sok cut himself with a knife.
Prosecutor Jeff Dupras told jurors that it was OK to feel sorry for Sok "but it can't cloud your judgment."
Crime and courts coverage Sok has already confessed to police that he killed his wife because she was leaving him, Dupras said. "He knows what he did and he expects to be punished," Dupras said.
The hearing in Judge Gary Orozco's courtroom, however, wasn't to determine whether he was guilty of the crime, Dupras said. It was to determine whether he could understand the court proceedings and assist in his defense.
Psychologist Laura Geiger and Harold Seymour testified that they examined Sok in jail and determined he was legally incompetent because he had problems with his memory and signs of dementia.
His problems stem from being tortured in Cambodia and knocked out several times, attorney Manuel Nieto, who represented Sok, told the panel. Nieto argued that Sok should be sent to a Atascadero State Hospital for treatment.
Dr. Julian Smith, a psychiatrist, however, testified that Sok declined to be evaluated by him, but nevertheless showed enough signs of competency to stand trial.
Dupras told the panel that Sok doesn't have a diagnosed mental disorder. He also said that just because Sok doesn't want to assist his counsel, that doesn't give him the legal grounds to be declared incompetent.
Since his wife's killing, Dupras said, Sok's attitude has been: "Just put me in jail and leave me alone."
After hearing the legal arguments, the jury deliberated about an hour before announcing late Wednesday that Sok was legally competent. Sok's preliminary hearing is now scheduled for Sept. 30.
Pech Sok is an uneducated Cambodian refugee who knows little English and has lived a miserable life, lawyers told jurors this week during Sok's competency hearing. He was tortured in Cambodia and his first wife died there, the lawyers said.
He hasn't fared much better in Fresno. In August 1998, Sok's second wife, Eng Ath, and two of the couple's children, Sophan and Sopheap, drowned in the San Joaquin River while fishing.
Now, Sok is charged with killing his third wife, Bouen Say, 61, who was stabbed to death at the couple's home in the 400 block of South Woodrow Avenue on Oct. 1. After the attack, police said, Sok cut himself with a knife.
Prosecutor Jeff Dupras told jurors that it was OK to feel sorry for Sok "but it can't cloud your judgment."
Crime and courts coverage Sok has already confessed to police that he killed his wife because she was leaving him, Dupras said. "He knows what he did and he expects to be punished," Dupras said.
The hearing in Judge Gary Orozco's courtroom, however, wasn't to determine whether he was guilty of the crime, Dupras said. It was to determine whether he could understand the court proceedings and assist in his defense.
Psychologist Laura Geiger and Harold Seymour testified that they examined Sok in jail and determined he was legally incompetent because he had problems with his memory and signs of dementia.
His problems stem from being tortured in Cambodia and knocked out several times, attorney Manuel Nieto, who represented Sok, told the panel. Nieto argued that Sok should be sent to a Atascadero State Hospital for treatment.
Dr. Julian Smith, a psychiatrist, however, testified that Sok declined to be evaluated by him, but nevertheless showed enough signs of competency to stand trial.
Dupras told the panel that Sok doesn't have a diagnosed mental disorder. He also said that just because Sok doesn't want to assist his counsel, that doesn't give him the legal grounds to be declared incompetent.
Since his wife's killing, Dupras said, Sok's attitude has been: "Just put me in jail and leave me alone."
After hearing the legal arguments, the jury deliberated about an hour before announcing late Wednesday that Sok was legally competent. Sok's preliminary hearing is now scheduled for Sept. 30.
7 comments:
Torture and kill people it is crime, Sok's need to be lock up for life, no excuse mental problem.
I hope he don't claim that he acted because he traumatized from Pol Pot action from 30 years ago just like Khmer Leaders used that word as excuse to beg money from other countries.
Unlike the CPP government and their Communist cronies, Democratic country like the US has what you call "due process". It is the process that Hun Sen wouldn't understand.
people like this need to seek professional intervention because we hear this kind of thing all the time; and it's happening with many people, not just this cambodian man.
well, if you think cambodia don't understand the concept of "due process", then why not educate or training cambodia; unless you and group has other motive, which we all know! stop being greedy and selfish. help to make a difference for cambodia as there are more to cambodia than you and i, really! wake up, people. it's called being smarter! cambodia, please have open mind and learn from american experts. the USA is the best nation on the planet, trust me, i live there and love the system. so, i feel cambodia ought to adopt the USA way. open cambodia to embrace the USA eonomy and system, etc... it's the smart thing and right thing to do for cambodia. after all, cambodia and khmer people deserve better after what happened under the stupid KR era. look no further than the power of the US dollar, which is really the second current of cambodia after the khmer riel. think about it, really! cambodia can never go wrong with american system! god bless cambodia.
The man you are poorly talking about is my grandfather .... You people should be a shame !!! We are all human and God did not intend us to be perfect !! If this was your family you wouldn't feel this way !!!
The man you are poorly talking about is my grandfather .... You people should be a shame !!! We are all human and God did not intend us to be perfect !! If this was your family you wouldn't feel this way !!!
Post a Comment