An Alameda County Superior Court judge has suspended the criminal case against the man charged in the shooting death of Laney College Athletic Director John Beam pending the results of psychological evaluations.
An Alameda County Superior Court judge has suspended the criminal case against the man charged in the shooting death of Laney College Athletic Director John Beam pending the results of psychological evaluations.
While the criminal proceedings against 27-year-old Cedric Irving are paused, the charges stick, and he will remain behind bars.The judge joined Irving’s public defenders in expressing doubt regarding the defendant's mental competency. Irving is accused of killing the beloved coach, affectionately known to the community as "Coach Beam."Despite questions surrounding his mental health, Oakland police and sheriff’s officials claim that Irving’s actions prior to the shooting demonstrated a high degree of calculation.Investigators say Irving legally obtained the .22-caliber Walther handgun used in the killing. According to court documents obtained by KTVU, Irving visited Elite Armory in Castro Valley on Oct. 15 to begin the legal transfer process.The California Department of Justice conducted a background check on Irving, which he passed because he had no prior criminal history.Authorities said that Irving waited the mandatory 10-day period before picking up the weapon on Nov. 4—just nine days before the shooting at Laney’s Field House.Upon his arrest, Irving reportedly told police the killing was justified. He claimed Beam had been using "witchcraft" on him and was "haunting his dreams and messing with his body."In court filings, an inspector for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office wrote that Irving’s ability to navigate the firearm transaction process suggests "preplanning and competence."KTVU legal analyst Michael Cardoza said that Irving’s actions appeared more consistent with planning than instability."What he did in this case looks more like planning than mental chaos," Cardoza said. "Voodoo made me it.’ I don't know a juror in Alameda County that's going to believe that story."If the criminal case goes through, Cardoza said that it will ultimately be up to a jury to determine if Irving knew right from wrong, or if the claims of witchcraft were a "concocted" part of his plan.
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