PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Tuesday, Kalamazoo Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Getting announced that the suspect in a Portage double homicide case will undergo a psychiatric evaluation.
The case concerns 27-year-0ld Nicholas Johnson, who is accused of killing his parents, Gary and Laura Johnson, last month.
Johnson is facing the following charges in this case:
- Two counts of open murder
- Two counts of possessing a firearm while committing a felony
- One count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, Johnson’s defense attorney requested that he undergo a competency evaluation, and the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney did not object to this request.
Judge Blatchford granted the defense motion and ordered Johnson to undergo a competency examination conducted by the Michigan Center for Forensic Psychiatry.
The case against Johnson will not continue until a competency evaluation report is received. Officials say that once an evaluation report is received, the Court will schedule a competency hearing within 48 hours.
Officials add that a competency evaluation determines whether a criminal defendant has the capacity to understand the nature and object of the proceedings against him, and assist in his own defense.
In the meantime, the Court has scheduled a Status Review of this case for May 11 at 8:30 a.m.
He already has a felony conviction was he evaluated then. Just asking