Carlos A. Campos, the Harrison resident charged with killing his parents and niece at their Hamilton St. home a little more than a year ago, shouldn’t be tried because he’s been found incompetent for trial by a defense psychiatrist.
So said Assistant Hudson County Prosecutor Michael D’Andrea in a phone interview last week. That information was imparted to Hudson County Superior Court Judge John Young, sitting in Jersey City, at a hearing held Sept. 13.
D’Andrea said Campos’ attorney, deputy Hudson County public defender Joseph Russo, had the accused evaluated by a private psychiatrist and the prosecutor’s office has sent Campos to the Ann Klein Forensic Center, a psychiatric prison hospital, “to see what the state psychiatrist says” about Campos’ state of mind.
“The burden is on the state to show (Campos) is competent to stand trial,” D’Andrea said.
Campos, 23, is charged with the fatal stabbings of his father, Carlos A. Campos-Trinidad Sr., 56; his mother, Ruth L. Pereira, 58; and his niece, 3-year-old Gabriella Morales, in the home they shared with Campos on Aug. 16, 2011.
Campos turned himself in to police the same day. A kitchen knife which police believe was used as the murder weapon was recovered, police said.
–Ron Leir
