Custodial dad who 'ate' eyes found mentally incompetent (Bakersfield, California)

Custodial dad ANGELO MENDOZA has been ruled "mentally incompetent" to stand trial on charges related to his bizarre and disgusting attack on his 4-year-old son. For anyone who has followed this case, this is not necessarily a big surprise. What I'd like to see is the authorities who gave Mendoza custody--despite an extensive history of drug abuse and mental illness--evalulated for "mental competence." This is another case where a dad is getting off on a mental illness excuse (see the next posting for another example). Not that I have a problem with that. But aren't we told that only abusive moms get out of criminal trials this way?

http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/54791727.html

Dad who 'ate' eyes found mentally incompetent

Story Created: Aug 25, 2009 at 10:58 AM PDT
Story Updated: Aug 26, 2009 at 9:52 AM PDT
By BakersfieldNow.com Staff

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- The man accused of biting out his 4-year-old son's eyes will not stand trial.

A Kern County Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday that Angelo Mendoza is not mentally competent for trial. County mental health officials will recommend whether Mendoza should go to a county or state mental health facility.

The 34-year-old man is accused of attacking his son, Angelo Mendoza Jr., in late April. The child, who was discovered by a neighbor lying naked in a bloody heap on the floor of an Ohio Drive apartment, told officers, "My daddy ate my eyes," and, "Daddy bit my eyes and hands," according to Bakersfield police reports.

Mendoza is in a wheelchair with a spinal cord injury, and police said he rolled away from his apartment after the alleged attack and started hacking away at his leg with an ax. Police reported that Mendoza was showing signs of being under the influence of the psychedelic drug best known as PCP or angel dust during the alleged abuse.

Criminal proceedings have been delayed multiple times because Mendoza was reportedly in poor medical condition and uncommunicative.

The first doctor to examine Mendoza for mental competency determined last month that he would be mentally competent to stand trial if he was on proper medication. Another psychiatrist was appointed after the July 23 hearing, leading to Tuesday's ruling.

Charges of mayhem, torture, child cruelty and inflicting injury upon a child have been put on hold. A person in Mendoza's situation would typically be re-evaluated on a regular basis to determine if they're mentally sound enough to face charges, according to the public defender's office.

Mendoza is scheduled to return to court Sept. 22.