Whether Bret Allen Kenney — a 34-year-old accused of murdering his mother and attempting to kill a Sequim police officer in May — can stand trial depends on an effort to restore his competency.
Clallam County judge Brent Basden on June 24 ordered Kenney be admitted to Western State Hospital in Lakewood for competency restoration.
That order came after Basden on June 7 ordered a psychologist to determine if Kenney understood the offenses and could assist in his defense.
In a June 21 report, Dr. Barry Ward, a psychologist with the Office of Forensic Mental Health Services Peninsula Regional Office, recommended competency restoration, according to court documents.
He wrote that Kenney has “capacity to understand the nature of the proceedings but lacks capacity to help in his own defense due to mental disorder.”
An update on Kenney’s treatment is set for 1:30 p.m. Friday, July 15, in Clallam County Superior Court.
Michele Devlin, Clallam County chief criminal deputy prosecuting attorney, said via email that there is no timeline for admission as there is wait time of several months.
At the June 24 hearing, Kenney said, appearing via video from Clallam County jail, that he needed a copy of the evaluation and that “I’m completely competent. It’s a fact.”
This would be his fifth admission to Western State Hospital with his last admission ending in September 2017 after a 90 commitment and his psychotic symptoms were considered “well-managed.”
Kenney had multiple involuntary inpatient evaluations and treatment admissions in Kitsap and Jefferson County between 2006-2010.
Throughout his admissions, psychologists diagnosed Kenney with schizophrenia (unspecified), stimulant use disorderand alcohol use disorder.
His most recent documented outpatient visit was March 29, according to court documents.
In Ward’s interview, Kenney said his relatives are imposters and/or government handlers, and denied hallucinations and using drugs or alcohol despite being in previous treatment programs.
Law enforcement reported Kenney tested positive for methamphetamine at his arrest.
Court documents state Kenney refused to continue the interview when he saw Ward using shorthand so he demanded it be written word for word. He ended the interview prior to any forensic questions, Ward wrote.
Murder, attempted murder
Law enforcement found Kenney’s mother Teri Ward, 53, deceased on May 19 at her home on the 100 block of Senz Road; her sister requested a welfare check after learning Kenney had been arrested earlier that morning.
Kenney was living with Ward after being released from incarceration, according to court documents.
King County Medical Examiner’s Office reported to law enforcement after an autopsy that Ward died from multiple sharp-force injuries to her neck, and that she was alive when the injuries were sustained.
Kenney was arrested after he was pulled over by Sequim police officer Daniel Martinez at 4:31 a.m. on May 19 driving a truck registered to Ward near the intersection of Third Avenue and Washington Street.
During the stop, Kenney tackled Martinez and the two fought leading the officer’s weapon to discharge, court documents state. Citizens and Clallam County Sheriff deputies helped Martinez detain Kenney. Both he and Martinez sustained non-life threatening injuries.
Because gunshots were fired, Sequim Police Department was not involved in the assault investigation.
Kenney was released from incarceration on Jan. 14 and has four prior cases of assault on police officers.
