The man accused of raping a woman at Gainesville Place Apartments and kidnapping another woman near UF campus last September will not stand trial until a judge deems him mentally competent.
Antwine Johnson, a 32-year-old Gainesville resident, is being held at the Alachua County Jail on a bond of more than $1.6 million for kidnapping, sexual assault and theft charges. He will complete competency training at a mental health facility, State Attorney Brian Kramer said.
Judge Phillip Pena granted Johnson’s request to transfer the case to a new court Wednesday after reviewing a May 17 evaluation that found him incompetent to proceed in the trial.
Incompetent defendants’ cases are transferred to and remain in a division five court, an administrative court within the Eighth Judicial Circuit, until they complete competency training, Kramer said. A division five judge — who presides over cases of insanity, incompetency or probation based on mental health conditions — reviews the defendants every six months or until they are deemed competent enough to stand trial.
A competent defendant must understand charges, allegations and possible penalties, Kramer said. They must also be able to communicate with their attorney, demonstrate appropriate courtroom behavior and provide relevant testimony.
The victim’s prosecuting attorney, Brooke King, did not object to the transfer. Johnson, who is represented by Joy Danne, is set to make an appearance in the felony forensics court June 16.
Contact Mickenzie Hannon at mhannon@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @MickenzieHannon.
Mickenzie is the local elections reporter and previously covered city and county commission for The Alligator’s Metro Desk. She's a fourth-year journalism major and is specializing in data journalism. When Mickenzie isn’t writing, she enjoys watching horror movies, reading, playing with her pets and attending concerts.
