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Hearing scheduled to determine competency for convicted killer Jaime Osuna

Posted at 11:32 AM, Oct 09, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-09 14:32:14-04

A competency hearing has been scheduled for convicted killer Jaime Osuna in the case involving the graphic death of his cellmate at Corcoran State Prison.

According to the Kings County Courthouse, Osuna appeared in court Thursday with his attorney, Melina Benninghoff. Reports were received from appointed doctors as to Mr. Osuna’s competency to stand trial.

A hearing on the issue is scheduled for Dec. 10 and 11 with two doctors testifying as to their respective findings for Osuna.

Osuna, serving a life sentence for the torture and murder of Yvette Pena in 2011, is accused of killing his cellmate Luis Romero.

According to our ABC Fresno affiliate, Kings County Assistant District Attorney Phil Esbenshade said Osuna decapitated Luis Romero, severed several of his body parts, including an eye and a finger, and proceeded to cut out part of his lung.

Romero bled to death and was found by prison staff during a morning security check.

Esbenshade also said that Osuna has filed another motion, this time requesting that he be allowed to possess the crime scene photographs of the incident while in custody.

That request and accompanying litigation will involve internal CDCR policy, and California state criminal discovery law.

That hearing and argument will take place on Oct. 19 in Kings County.