Man accused of stabbing to death girlfriend’s son competent to stand trial

A 27-year-old man accused of stabbing to death his girlfriend’s son – a student at David Starr Jordan Middle School in Burbank – was found mentally competent to stand trial after a months-long psychiatric evaluation, authorities said.

The man, Rineson Adams, was charged with one count each of premeditated murder and child abuse in connection with the stabbing death of 11-year-old Jai Lewis on Memorial Day last year.

A judge had declared a doubt in his mental competency last July, after which Adams was sent for psychiatric evaluation, said Ricardo Santiago, spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.

The findings were submitted to the court Wednesday, and Adams was found competent to stand trial, Santiago said.

The boy, whose father lived in Burbank, was stabbed multiple times in the chest and neck on Memorial Day morning at his mother’s home in the 200 block of South Carondelet Street in the Westlake District of Los Angeles, authorities said. He was pronounced dead at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles shortly thereafter.

Adams is due back in court in June.

-- Alene Tchekmedyian, alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Follow on Google+ and on Twitter: @atchek

ALSO:

Police arrest woman for allegedly stealing dancewear

Burbank Unified reports more graduating students than average

Woman allegedly steals beer at Ralphs, injures store employee