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BRIEF: Lubbock man facing murder charges sent to mental health hospital to regain competency

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (TX) - 7/29/2015

July 28--A Lubbock judge ordered a man deemed incompetent to stand trial for murder to be treated at a mental health hospital in Vernon.

Judge John McClendon with the 137th District Court ruled there was evidence Jestin Hooker may be incompetent to stand trial.

Prosecutors accuse Hooker of using a golf club and his bare hands in the July 2014 beating death of local lawyer, Steve Wallace, at his downtown Lubbock law office.

A Lubbock County grand jury indicted Hooker on a murder charge in August.

McClendon ordered Hooker to be treated at the North Texas State Hospital -- Vernon Campus for up to 120 days to regain competency, according to a July 10 court order.

Hooker's attorney, Laurie Key entered a motion in May requesting a competency exam, court records show.

Court documents show Hooker wrote a letter to the judge seeking new legal counsel.

"I've been lied to on more than (one) occasion by her," Hooker wrote in the letter. "And I don't believe that further representation from Mrs. Key will be in my best interest."

Follow lubbockonline.com and read Wednesday's Avalanche-Journal for more on this story.

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