Citing the defendant's mental incompetence to understand charges and assist her defense, King County Superior Court Judge Helen Halpert recently dismissed a dual murder rap against a woman who drank herself stuporous while two of her kids died of starvation and dehydration. She claims to think they're still alive. So, Leemah Carneh will have company at Western State Hospital. More uplifting news: Judge Halpert today ordered a mental competency hearing for a man who set a woman's hair afire in downtown Seattle, with lighter fluid and matches. He too may be unable to understand what he did. Apparently, it is possible to dreamily set a stranger's head aflame, and evade responsiblity.

It gets better. An Olympia man charged with raping an 11-year-old girl was acting strange at his arraignment, and - imagine - will be sent to Western State for a mental competency evaluation. Although if he is found not capable of understanding the charges against him, it will be difficult to explain why he allegedly wrote in his journal that he wanted to kick his "child hunting" habit.

A Clark County judge has also ordered to Western State for a mental competency evaluation a defendant charged with two counts of first-degree murder, who matter-of-factly phoned in his confession to 911.

Meanwhile, a Vancouver, Washington man has pled guilty to Social Security fraud for falsely pretending to be mentally ill. The Columbian reports that for two decades, at his mother's direction, he sat in the corner and picked his nose when social service workers visited, helping her scam Social Security of $220,000 for her two "disabled" children. His sister is believed to have put on a similar act, but cannot be located. It turns out the man - supposedly unable to drive - was working at an auto body shop, had Oregon, Washington and Alaska drivers licenses under false names, and lived with a girlfriend and her two kids. He was finally busted when caught on court video cogently enough appealing a traffic offense.

At least the government, nearly a quarter-million dollars later, did due diligence on this man's claims of mental incapacity. Some people will try to get away with whatever they can. Whether they are stealing money from taxpayers, killing, raping, or setting pedestrians afire, defendants need to be held accountable by facing trial. The increasingly utilized "mental competency" evaluation represents a disturbing trend, in which perpetrators become classified as victims and sidestep criminal justice.

A colleague of the sidewalk arson attack victim asks, "What is going on downtown?"

Is it open season for the "mentally incompetent?"

I blame society.

TECHNORATI TAGS: CRIME, MENTAL COMPETENCE, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON STATE