Man accused of killing Officer Robert McKeithen currently incompetent to stand trial
The man accused of killing Biloxi Police Officer Robert McKeithen back in May 2019 is currently incompetent to stand trial.
This is according to our media partner the Sun Herald.
Darian Atkinson was taken to the Mississippi State Hospital in Whitfield on March 9th for his sixth psychiatric evaluation and treatment to try to restore his competency to stand trial.
Atkinson was originally deemed competent for trial in 2020, but his attorney, Angela Broun, says his mental condition deteriorated around October 2021 and has described him in court papers as ‘seriously mentally ill.’
The Sun Herald quotes his attorney as saying the goal is to restore Atkinson to competency at the state hospital through therapy or medication and that a further update on his condition will be made in three months.
Atkinson is charged with capital murder in the shooting death of Robert McKeithen on May 5th, 2019 outside the Lopez-Quave Public Safety Center.
