LIHUE — A motion for an examination of mental fitness and capacity to stand trial was accepted in Fifth Circuit Court Tuesday against a man accused of sexually assaulting two adult females late last year in Koloa.
Appearing in court with his attorney, Jesse Korn, 26, of Koloa, listened quietly to the proceedings in Judge Kathleen Watanabe’s courtroom, through an interpreter.
Watanabe asked defense attorney John Murphy what his basis for the motion was.
“I explained to him, (Korn), the remarkable nature of the 21 counts (against him) and in discussing the police reports, it appeared to me there may be some sort of mental defect or organic problem with Mr. Korn. That is the basis of that,” Murphy said.
The court granted the motion for the examination.
“Given the basis stated on the record by Mr. Murphy, the court is granting the defendant’s 704 motion and the court will execute the order. We will have this filed and distributed and for the record,” Watanabe said. “We are suspending the proceedings pending the 704 examination and return of the reports.”
The next hearing will be in April.
In early December, police say they responded to Kawailehua low-income housing, after receiving reports of a suspect who unlawfully entered two different units and sexually assaulted two female victims.
The suspect, reports say, fled before police could arrived. A manhunt ensued and Korn was later arrested. He is being held at the Kauai Community Correctional Center on $500,000 bail. The exam is scheduled to take place at the correctional facility, with an interpreter present.
Korn’s jury trial is scheduled in mid-May, but proceedings are suspended until the results of the examination are submitted to the court.
