By Bay City News Service
A judge today suspended criminal proceedings against a man accused of killing seven people in a shooting rampage at Oakland's Oikos University earlier this year after the man's lawyer questioned his mental competency to stand trial.
Among the victims was El Cerrito resident Sonam Chodon (also spelled Choedon).
Alameda County Superior Court Judge Carrie Panetta ordered that two psychiatrists examine 43-year-old One Goh and report their findings in a hearing in her courtroom on Nov. 19.
Goh's attorney, Deputy Public Defender David Klaus, declined to comment after Goh's brief hearing today except to say that he has "doubts about the competency of Mr. Goh."
Goh, who used the services of a Korean interpreter, yelled something after Klaus expressed doubt about his competency in court, but Klaus said afterward that he didn't understand what Goh had said.
After Goh's brief outburst, Judge Panetta told him to "be quiet" and let Klaus speak on his behalf.
Goh, a Korean national who lived in Oakland, is being held in custody without bail. He has been charged with seven counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder for allegedly shooting three victims who survived, and 10 special-circumstance allegations, including committing murder during a carjacking.
Police said Goh fled the campus after the April 2 shootings in a car that belonged to one of the victims.
He was arrested in Alameda a short time later after he confessed to a Safeway security guard that he had just shot several people, according to police.
Goh is a former student who had left the school voluntarily.
Prosecutors have said he appears to have wanted a refund of his tuition, and may have been targeting an administrator who was not present on the day of the shooting.
According to a probable cause statement filed in court by Oakland police Officer Robert Trevino, Goh has admitted that he carried out the shootings.
Those killed were students Lydia Sim, 21; Sonam Choedon, 33; Grace Kim, 23, Doris Chibuko, 40; Judith Seymour, 53; Tshering Bhutia, 38; and Katleen Ping, 24, who worked at the school.
Goh's hearing today had been expected to be a routine pretrial hearing.
Prosecutor Stacie Pettigrew previously said that Goh's preliminary hearing, which would determine if there is enough evidence to have him stand trial, probably would take place early next year.
But now the future of any criminal proceedings against Goh will remain unknown until the hearing on Nov. 19.
