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Judge Rules John Beam Killing Suspect Incompetent to Stand Trial

The ruling pauses the case pending a possible transfer to a state hospital for competency treatment.

Overview

  • Cedric Irving Jr. was found mentally incompetent to stand trial by Alameda County Judge Armando Pastran Jr. on Friday.
  • Under California law, a competency ruling halts the prosecution until treatment can restore a defendant’s ability to understand the case and work with counsel.
  • Four psychiatric evaluations led prosecutors to drop their opposition to an incompetency finding, and a May 8 hearing will address placement in a secure treatment facility.
  • Police arrested Irving, 27, the day after the Nov. 13, 2025 campus shooting, and say he carried the .22-caliber handgun and admitted to the killing.
  • A county autopsy reported Beam, a 66-year-old Laney College coach known from Last Chance U, was shot after a brief altercation and had multiple bruises.