A Baltimore judge ruled on Monday that the Baltimore man accused of wrecking havoc on a police station with a light bulb and a pair of scissors is competent to stand trial.
In a mental-health hearing Monday in Baltimore City District Court, Judge George Lipman ruled that Rodney Bethea, 21, is competent to stand trial July 17, when he will face two charges of second-degree assault, possession of a deadly weapon with the intent to injure, second-degree escape from custody, and false imprisonment.
Police arrested Bethea on April 13 at 10:45 a.m. on charges of marijuana possession and transported him to the Northeast District police station for an interview, according to court documents.
While left alone in an interview room, Bethea unsuccessfully attempted to hang himself with a string, police said. He then removed a halogen light bulb, causing the room to go black, and waited perched on a table for a police officer to enter the room, the documents state.
An officer entered the room, when Bethea jumped off the table, striking the officer over the head with the light bulb, shattering it and causing multiple cuts to the officer?s head, according to court documents.
The officer fell to the floor and Bethea ran out of the interview room and took a police station employee hostage with a pair of scissors, police said.
After a two-hour standoff, the Baltimore City SWAT team forced open the door to the room where Bethea held the employee hostage and shocked Bethea with a stun gun, taking him into custody, charging documents state.
He is being held at the Baltimore City Detention Center.
The assault charges carry up to 10 years in prison, while the weapons and escape charges carry penalties of three years incarceration.
