A judge has ordered that a Cloquet man accused of stabbing a girl in Duluth's Central Hillside neighborhood undergo a mental health evaluation to determine if he is competent to waive his court-appointed counsel and represent himself as he has requested.
Donald William Laquier Jackson, 25, is charged with attempted murder for the benefit of a gang, attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault committed for the benefit of a gang, first-degree assault causing great bodily harm and two counts of second-degree assault.
He told the court during a hearing earlier this week that he wanted to represent himself because he thought it was in his best interest to present his own point of view.
Judge John DeSanto on Thursday ordered that Laquier Jackson be evaluated before waiving his right to counsel.
Under Minnesota Rules of Criminal Procedure, a defendant must not be allowed to waive counsel if lacking the ability to:
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comprehend any other matters essential to understanding the case. Laquier Jackson and Norman Wayne Cutbank III, 17, are accused of taking part in stabbing a 17-year-old girl in the heart and beating her and the 18-year-old boy who came to her rescue on Oct. 13 near East Fifth Street and Lake Avenue.
Cutbank pleaded guilty in December to conspiracy to commit first-degree assault and aiding and abetting second-degree assault. He admitted to striking both victims with a bat. He was sentenced to 58½ months for conspiracy to commit first-degree assault and eight months for aiding and abetting second-degree assault. Cutbank admitted to beating the victims with the bat, but denied stabbing the girl.
According to the criminal complaint, while the victims were being beaten, they were threatened with taunts: "This is Native Mob," "Watch your back" and "You will get a bullet in the head."
The victims have asked authorities not to release their names because they fear for their lives. Authorities have identified Laquier Jackson as a member of the Native Mob.
