Judge orders mental competency examination for suspect in deadly stabbing

A mental competency evaluation was ordered on Wednesday for a
San Diego man accused of fatally stabbing another man in the downtown area in
June..

Justin St. John, 34, is charged with murder in the death of a 52-year-
old man on June 13. Prosecutor Adam Gordon said authorities are still
withholding the victim's name until his next of kin can be located and
notified.

At a hearing today, St. John's attorney told a judge that he doubted his
client's ability to understand the charges against him and to assist him at
trial.

Judge Charles Gill ordered a mental competency examination and scheduled
a hearing for Dec. 3.

At the defendant's arraignment in June, Deputy District Attorney Adam
Gordon told a different judge that St. John stabbed the victim three or four
times at about 5 p.m. on June 13 in the 600 block of Market Street.

The victim died in a hospital a few hours later.

St. John was jailed June 17 on an unrelated narcotics count and charged
with murder the next day.

It was not clear how police came to suspect St. John in the killing.

St. John faces 16 years to life in prison if convicted, Gordon said.