Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The man accused of killing his three children in a New Orleans East house fire last year has been ordered to undergo a mental evaluation before he can stand trial.
Joseph Washington is accused of setting fire to a home in the 4900 block of America Street with his three children inside in October 2023.
As officers searched for Washington, they said he tried to get away by jumping off an overpass on Interstate 610 East at Elysian Fields Avenue.
Last week, a grand jury indicted Washington on three counts of first-degree murder and obstruction of justice.
But before he can go to trial, the New Orleans Clerk of Criminal Court confirmed on Tuesday, March 12 that a judge ordered he undergo a mental evaluation first.
A competency hearing has been set for Thursday, March 21.
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