NORFOLK, Va. — A judge on Wednesday ordered a competency evaluation for a 19-year-old man charged with killing three women and injuring two others last week in Norfolk’s Young Terrace community.
Ziontay Palmer, 19, was arrested hours after the Nov. 3 shooting. He’s charged with three counts of second-degree murder, two counts of malicious wounding and several firearm charges. He’s being held without bond in the Norfolk city jail.
Armon Pollack, the public defender representing Palmer, asked Judge Michael Rosenblum for the evaluation during a brief hearing in Norfolk’s General District Court. Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Cynthia Collard didn’t object.
“I have reason to believe (Palmer) may be having difficulty understanding the nature of the proceedings against him,” Pollack told the judge.
Rosenblum agreed to order the evaluation, and appointed a psychologist to interview Palmer.
In order to be found competent to stand trial, a defendant must be able to understand the proceedings they face and assist in their own defense. The most common competency problems stem from mental illness and intellectual disability.
For those found to be incompetent, the court typically orders that they be provided whatever services or treatment needed to help restore them to competency. It’s rare for a defendant to be found unrestorably incompetent.
At Wednesday’s hearing, neither side addressed whether they thought Palmer was sane at the time of the shooting. Collard, the prosecutor, said such questions can’t be raised until a case makes it way to the Circuit Court level.
Palmer appeared via video monitor from the city jail for Wednesday’s hearing. He didn’t say much, and thanked the judge and his lawyer at the end.
The shooting occurred around 6 p.m. at the public housing complex. Police said Palmer first shot a 19-year-old woman with whom he reportedly was in a relationship, and then shot four others who came to the young woman’s aid.
Three of the women died at the scene.
Among them was Nicole Lovewine, 45, the mother of the 19-year-old woman. Also killed was Lovewine’s partner, Detra Brown, 42, and Sara Costine, 44. All three lived at Young Terrace. The 19-year-old victim and another woman survived.
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