CHARLOTTE, N.C. – In Mecklenburg County, a man is on trial for first-degree murder in a case dating back over a decade.
Derek Ward is suspected of his cousin Brittini Ward’s killing in May 2010. He has also been charged with first-degree rape. Ward is accused of strangling a 23-year-old woman.
Ward spent the previous five years in state jails and other facilities.
Ward’s mental health has been assessed by psychiatrists and a judge, and he has already been deemed incompetent to stand trial.
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Ward is defending himself, with a public defender on standby, and has stated multiple times in court that he has been imprisoned for 14 years. On Monday, the judge questioned Ward’s competence in court.
Monday morning’s courtroom proceedings revolved around pre-trial motions. Jury selection began Monday afternoon and will continue until Tuesday.
Prosecutors first accused Brittini’s mother, but a court exonerated her two years later after she pleaded guilty to concealing her death and completed many years of probation.