Denver – Amber Torrez, who wants to plead guilty to the murders of John Hand and Masfin Gezahgn, was ordered today to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to determine if she was sane at the time the offenses were committed.
Psychiatrist Karen Fukutaki will perform the evaluation ordered by Denver District Judge Christina Habas.
Habas will review Fukutaki’s report. She will then factor it into her decision whether Torrez can plead guilty or whether her lawyers can enter a not guilty by reason of insanity plea over Torrez’ objections.
Habas has already found Torrez competent to stand trial in the March 28, 2004, death of Hand, 55, the founder of the alternative Colorado Free University, and Gezahgn , 45, a cab driver from Ethiopia who was killed the next day.
The courtroom today was filled with members of Denver’s Ethiopian community as well as Hand’s relatives.
Hand was stabbed 30 times in his Hilltop home and Gezahgn was stabbed 39 times near East 18th Avenue and Gilpin Street.
Torrez acknowledged the presence of the victims’ relatives by nodding her head and making eye contact.
Her two lawyers, Holly Lucas and Michael Vallejos, believe Torrez was insane at the time of the offenses and that Torrez is incompetent to stand trial.
After a day-long hearing in July, in which she heard testimony from both Fukutaki and Mark Diamond, the chief of psychiatry at the Colorado Mental Health Institute, Habas ruled that Torrez is competent to stand trial.
Diamond testified that even though she had been on medication for six months, she was still delusional and wasn’t competent. Torrez believed she was a government agent during the incidents, Diamond said.
But Fukutaki said Torrez knew exactly what she was doing. She said Torrez told her she killed Hand because he had solicited her for prostitution and killed Gezahgn because he attempted to sexually assaulted her.
Habas will review Fukutaki’s confidential assessment of Torrez before making her decision about Torrez’ request to plead guilty.
Howard Pankratz can be reached at 303-820-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
