A competency hearing for a Cortez woman charged with second-degree murder was postponed Tuesday until June.<\/p>\n
At a scheduled hearing on Tuesday, May 6, District Court Judge Todd Plewe said the court received a letter last week from the Colorado Mental Health Institute in Pueblo, which stated that its competency evaluation on a Cortez woman facing second-degree murder charges would not be available until May 16.<\/p>\n
Valerie Espinoza, 38, is charged with second-degree murder for the Sept. 19th stabbing death of 62-year-old Charles Chaves. She has been at the mental health facility in Pueblo since pleading not guilty by reason of insanity before Plewe on Feb. 10.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Plewe suggested the competency hearing be rescheduled for May 22. Both District Attorney Will Furse and public defender Amy Smith, however, requested a later date in order to properly review the mental health report. A new hearing was set for 11 a.m. on June 10.<\/p>\n
All criminal proceedings in the case have been suspended pending the results of the competency evaluation.<\/p>\n
During arraignment proceedings in February, Espinoza repeatedly smiled, frowned, scowled, sobbed and even snarled \u2013 her emotions changing from moment to moment.<\/p>\n
As a result of pleading not guilty by reason of insanity, the defendant waived her right to confidentiality, meaning mental health officials could testify as to anything relayed during her evaluation.<\/p>\n
A Montezuma County grand jury indicted Espinoza on second-degree murder charges in October. Records show the victim was stabbed seven times in his upper torso with a butcher knife during an early morning attack inside the victim\u2019s S. Madison Street home.<\/p>\n