SEATTLE — A judge has ordered a mental evaluation for a man accused of slitting a Renton clerk’s throat during a robbery.
The Seattle Times reported that order came Thursday after a lawyer for Darren Gayles raised questions about his competency.
After the evaluation, Gayles is scheduled for a Feb. 18 hearing to determine whether he’s competent to stand trial on first-degree assault and first-degree robbery charges.
Prosecutors allege the 44-year-old man entered a GameStop store Jan. 14 and held a knife to the clerk’s throat. They say he forced the 23-year-old woman to open the cash drawer, then slashed her throat.
Relatives of the clerk, Kiersten Shideler, say she was seriously injured but is improving.
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