A lawyer is requesting a mental competency exam of the homeless man accused of attacking a man with a sledgehammer and slashing a teen’s neck in Daytona Beach.
Jermaine Lynn Long, 44, was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in the slashing attack, which took place in the area of 18 S. Ocean Ave. at 10:08 p.m. Feb. 14, a charging affidavit stated. He has not yet been charged by prosecutors in that case.
About 11:30 a.m. that same day, Long hit a man with a sledgehammer outside a 7-Eleven at 35 S. Atlantic Ave., in Daytona Beach and then chased the man into the store, records show.
Long was not arrested at the time of that sledgehammer attack. Daytona Beach Police issued a statement Thursday, Feb. 19, saying its officers did not have enough evidence for an immediate arrest. Police called the weapon “a hammer” and stated they would make no further comments about the case at this time.
Prosecutors Feb. 19 charged Long in the sledgehammer attack case with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a third-degree felony.
Long pleaded not guilty in the sledgehammer case on Thursday, Feb. 19.
He is being held without bond at the Volusia County Branch Jail.
He has not yet entered a plea in the slashing case. His arraigment, at which point he would enter a plea, is set for March 10.
Long’s defense attorney, Steven Robinson, filed a motion on Friday, Feb. 20, in both cases requesting that Circuit Judge A. Christian Miller order a mental health competency evaluation of Long.
Robinson cited the following factors in his motion:
The State Attorney’s Office has not yet filed a response to the motion.
Long appeared in court on Thursday, Feb. 19, for a brief hearing during which Robinson said Long would not challenge the state’s request for Long to remain jailed as his legal cases plays out in the court system.
Long spoke little during the brief hearing, but did not act out in the courtroom. He was respectful to the judge, answering the judge’s questions with “Yes, your honor” or “No, your honor.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Defense seeks mental health exam for man accused in Daytona slashing
Reporting by Frank Fernandez, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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