Oroville Greyhound bus mass shooting suspect's mental competency sent to jury trial

OROVILLE, Calif. — The man accused of killing one and wounding four others on a Greyhound bus in Oroville is heading to a jury trial where his mental competency to stand trial will be determined.

The request was made by21-year-old Assahdi Colemen's attorney,Robert Marshall, during the trial Wednesday morning. He tells KRCR that there "were some concerns raised" after a psychologist evaluated the Sacramento suspect that poses the potential dilemma that he could not adequately exercise his fifth and sixth amendment rights. Marshall declined to elaborate on these concerns and if this psychologist was the one appointed to evaluate Coleman by the judge.

"The psychologist will testify and from then a jury will decide whether it's more likely than not that he is in fact incompetent to stand trial," says Marshall outside a Butte County Superior Court courtroom Wednesday morning.

The court-appointed psychological report has been completed for at least three weeks, though its results have not yet officially been submitted on the record.Chief Deputy District Attorney Mark Murphy, however, announced in court on May 18 thathe has seen no report that says the suspect is mentally incompetent to stand trial, only one that shows he is "competent."

Marshall, in the end, says this jury trial is how the court can ensure Coleman is awarded his constitutional rights while facingone count of murder, four counts of attempted murder and two weapon counts after allegedly shooting five people aboard a parked bus in an Oroville AM/PM parking lot on February 2, 2022.

"Certainly, if you or I were charged with a serious crime like this, we'd want to make sure that it wasn't just shuffled through the courts, that there is an attorney who would vigorously make sure that all of your rights were enforced, that all of the options were explored, and that it was truly handled in a manner that's appropriate for a case of this seriousness," says Marshall. "Our hearts go out to those who were injured, who lost family members. This is a tragic situation, but Mr. Coleman is just another person like the rest of us who's charged with a horrific crime unlike the rest of us. He deserves the full protection of all his constitutional rights."

The jury trial is scheduled to begin on August 8.