US court finds 77-yr-old Indian incompetent for murder trial

A 77-year-old Indian man, booked for killing his son-in-law, was found by a US court incompetent to stand trial after it observed that he was unable to understand the charges slapped on him.
Bayapa Lingala, who speaks Telugu, was found by a judge in US state of Pennsylvania incompetent to stand trial, journalstar.Com reported today.
At a short hearing yesterday, Lingala sat quietly with a Telugu interpreter at his side as Deputy Lancaster County Public Defender, Webb Bancroft offered a four-page letter from Dr Mario Scalora, who examined Lingala.
It was the doctor's opinion that Lingala is not able to understand the charges against him or to assist in his defense.

Bancroft said Scalora believed there was a "substantial likelihood" that his competency can be restored with treatment and that he could yet face trial.
Lingala is charged with second-degree murder and use of a knife in the slaying of 46-year-old Sujay Nooka on August 5.

District Judge Paul Merritt Jr committed Lingala to the Lincoln Regional Center and recommended staff there conduct further testing, as Scalora suggested, and provide a translator so Lingala can benefit from treatment.
Merritt set a review hearing in April. For the time being, Lingala's criminal case is on hold.
Lingala has been at the county jail, his bond set at USD 1 million, since police arrested him on August 5.

Police believe he stabbed Nooka, his daughter's husband, at the end of a grandchild's birthday party in the south Lincoln home, Pennsylvania. Nooka died about hours later at the hospital.