Man involved in Clearlake standoff being evaluated for mental competence
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The man who was involved in a lengthy standoff with law enforcement in early November is being evaluated after his defense attorney questioned his mental competence.
Francisco Morales-Gomez, 31, of Clearlake has remained in custody at the Lake County Jail since Nov. 8, when he was arrested following a day-and-a-half-long standoff in which he held his 6-year-old son hostage, as Lake County News has reported.
Earlier this month, ahead of his scheduled trial, his defense attorney told a judge that he had concerns about his client’s mental competence, Deputy District Attorney Trang Jensen.
The November standoff began when Morales-Gomez’s wife called police to report that he had brandished a firearm at her at their home at 29th and Boyles avenues.
When officers responded, Morales-Gomez came to the door with his child – carrying what was believed to be a rifle – before taking the child and going back inside the house.
What ensued were lengthy negotiations between Morales-Gomez and the Clearlake Police Department, with the SWAT teams from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office later taking part in the negotiations.
About half a dozen nearby homes were evacuated, portions of 28th, 29th and Boyles avenues were closed and a helicopter, robot and drone from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office also were used, authorities said.
During the standoff, authorities said Morales-Gomez made multiple threats to shoot the law enforcement officers.
The standoff would finally end after Morales-Gomez called to ask for food, with an officer hurriedly responding to the scene with a hot pepperoni pizza.
SWAT team members placed the pizza inside the front room, while Morales-Gomez remained at the back of the house, where he agreed to pass his child out of a window to law enforcement.
When Morales-Gomez attempted to go out of another window, he was taken into custody.
As it would turn out, Morales-Gomez had a BB gun, not an actual firearm, according to Jensen.
Jensen said Morales-Gomez is facing four felony counts – false imprisonment of a hostage, false imprisonment by violence, child abuse, and resisting an officer with violence or the threat of violence – in addition to multiple misdemeanors.
Morales-Gomez had been set for trial beginning on Wednesday, but at his Jan. 14 court appearance for a settlement and trial readiness conference, his defense attorney, Dana Liberatore, declared a doubt as to his mental competence, Jensen said.
As a result, “Criminal proceedings have been suspended,” Jensen said.
She said Morales-Gomez is due to return to court on Feb. 11, at which time Judge David Markham will receive reports from two doctors who are evaluating Jensen’s mental competence.
At that point Markham is expected to make a ruling as to whether Morales-Gomez is mentally competent to stand trial, Jensen said.
If Markham finds Morales-Gomez competent, Jensen said criminal proceedings would be restarted and the trial reset.
Should Morales-Gomez be found incompetent, the law requires he be placed in treatment until his competence is restored so the criminal case can proceed.
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