Defendant Interrupts Mental Competency Hearing with Claims of Alleged Murder of Officer

By Kelly Moran

WOODLAND–– “Listen, it doesn’t matter, I know what happened, I know what happened, I know what happened Mr. Richardson, you don’t know, nobody else knows.”

Larry James Tillman, Jr., an inmate at Monroe Detention Center held on charges from seven separate cases, claimed that he has the inside scoop on the alleged murder of a peace officer.

Well, maybe, but Tillman Jr. appeared in Yolo County Superior Court Monday morning for a progress hearing on his 1368—an inquiry into the competence of a defendant before their trial or after their conviction.

According to Tillman’s past records, a request for him to undergo a psychiatric evaluation was placed on July 8. And, on Sept. 2, during Tillman’s Mental Competence Hearing, Judge Paul K. Richardson found Tillman to be incompetent.

On Sept. 18, Judge Richardson ordered for the defendant to be committed to a competency program, yet the matter of his placement is still under review

Tillman interrupted the proceedings between Judge Richardson, Deputy District Attorney Alvina Tzang, and his own defense attorney, Ron Johnson, in order to expose the details of the supposed crime.

“I’m in a great mood today,” started Tillman, though it quickly went downhill from there.

“I just wanted to say one thing to all of you guys. Okay so we have the officer who was murdered on the side of the road, okay? Mr. King, an inmate in here, 82206, as well as another [inaudible] are two of the three…” Tillman said.

Judge Richardson and Johnson attempted to persuade Tillman to talk to Johnson before saying anything further but none of their efforts could keep the defendant from carrying on with his rant.

“I don’t need an attorney, I’m talking about the officer that was murdered on the side of the road,” said Tillman, “I know what happened, they killed him in a big rig and transported his body in a brown station wagon, opened up the hatchback. Mr. King, they brought it to Mr. King’s house, I know what happened, send someone so that I can help you.”

Both Tzang and Johnson looked on, waiting for him to finish, and Judge Richardson did his best to continue the matter, first by briefly muting Tillman’s audio.

“I hear you and I think everybody else did as well,” he said.

“Okay that’s all that matters, that’s all that matters, it’s not about you, I don’t need an attorney, I don’t need anybody to represent the truth,” Tillman continued, “that’s it, that’s the end of discussion.”

Taking advantage of this opportunity to speak, Tillman explained the details of the crime, bringing up an inmate by the alleged name of Mr. King again.

“An officer was murdered on the side of the road, his back left tire had went out. He was waiting for help when a big rig came, they murdered him and Mr. King worked at a big rig company. They murdered him in Mr. King’s big rig, and they transported (with) the car. Mr. King used to tow big rigs, okay he used to tow cars with the big rig, that’s how they had excess cars and excess big rigs.”

Judge Richardson scheduled Tillman’s return to court for the morning of Wednesday Dec. 9 while Tillman still tried to talk over him, mentioning three locations, Sacramento Ave., Chariot Ave., and “the black big rig in West Sacramento,” supposedly connected to the alleged crime.

Kelly Moran is currently a senior at Santa Clara University, though originally from Connecticut. She is majoring in English, with a focus on British Literature and Professional Writing, and is also minoring in Journalism.

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