ATLANTA — The man accused of fatally stabbing a 29-year-old man on the Atlanta Beltline in August has been found incompetent to stand trial, putting the criminal case against him on hold.
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A Fulton County judge ruled that Jonathan Hamby is not mentally competent to stand trial after a doctor determined he is unable to understand court proceedings or assist his attorneys in his own defense.
The ruling means Hamby’s criminal case cannot move forward for now while he goes through a process to determine whether his competency can be restored.
Hamby was arrested in August after police say he fatally stabbed 29-year-old Ramon Harris on the Beltline.
Video from the incident shows Hamby holding two knives and yelling at one man before turning around, lunging at Harris and stabbing him in the neck.
Harris died from his injuries.
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Court records show Hamby had been arrested roughly 30 times before the deadly attack. He was also on probation for previous aggravated assault convictions at the time of the stabbing.
Harris’ friends told Channel 2 Action News that he died trying to protect others. Following his death, some questioned why Hamby was out of jail despite his lengthy criminal history.
Now, nearly two months after the deadly stabbing, the case against Hamby has been moved to what’s known as a competency docket.
According to court documents filed in Fulton County, a doctor determined Hamby was incompetent to stand trial, prompting the judge’s ruling.
That does not mean Hamby’s charges have been dropped or that he has been found not guilty.
Instead, the criminal proceedings are on hold until Hamby is deemed competent to understand the charges against him and participate in his defense.
Defendants found incompetent to stand trial may undergo treatment at a state forensic facility or, under certain circumstances, receive outpatient services aimed at restoring their competency.
The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office says it is still pursuing justice in the case
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