SANTA CRUZ — Proceedings for a fatal Seabright State Beach strangling were put on hold Wednesday after a defense attorney requested the court assess her client’s mental competence to stand trial.
RELATED: East Bay woman strangled on Santa Cruz beach ID’d
During what was scheduled to be his arraignment on the charge of murder, Samuel Brannigan Stone, 20, appeared with defense attorney Tawnya Hughes, of the Santa Cruz County Public Defender’s Office. Hughes said she had met with Stone seven times at the jail and that she wished to “declare a doubt” for her client.
Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Nancy de la Peña agreed to suspend the criminal proceedings, appointing a clinical psychologist to examine Stone and submit a report to the court by April 1.
The father of the strangling victim, 20-year-old UC Santa Cruz student Zainab Mansoor, was present for Wednesday’s proceedings in the courtroom gallery. Mansoor and Stone were reportedly dating leading up to Feb. 23, when Stone called 911 to report that he had just strangled to death his girlfriend on the beach. Stone was enrolled as a UCSC student through Jan. 10, according to university officials.
Stone is next scheduled to appear before Judge Denine Guy in Department 3 at 8:15 a.m., April 3.
Related Articles
Police arrest man with ‘large kitchen knife’ at Peninsula high school
Peninsula teen arrested on suspicion of bringing gun to school
Ex-rideshare driver charged with federal hate crime for alleged attack on passenger he picked up at SFO
Feds hit ex-Pittsburg cop with new felony charge in massive police scandal
East Bay man arrested for allegedly breaking BART fare machine, stealing cash box