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Detroit Jail Escapee Who Allegedly Stabbed Guard Non-Responsive, Faces Psych Exam

DETROIT (WWJ) The Wayne County Jail inmate who escaped from custody at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice two weeks ago and led police on a day-long manhunt -- will now have a psychiatric examination to see if he is competent to stand trial.

Abraham Pearson was escorted into the courtroom Monday by three deputies as he heard the latest charges against him from his escape September 19th.

Defense attorney James Howarth says his client has been placed in what he said was described by jail officials as an "extreme psychiatric setting" behind bars. From his visit with Pearson in jail, defense attorney James Howarth had no reservations about his client being psychologically examined before this case went further.

"He was responsive to questions in that he answered them, the answers were not necessarily responsive to the questions," Howarth said. "And he didn't seem to know anything about this."

Pearson has yet to be sentenced for the original charges that was scheduled the day he is accused of leading police on a 14-hour manhunt.

Pearson will also be evaluated to determine if he can be deemed criminally responsible. He was to be sentenced for a 2012 carjacking the day he attacked a deputy and carjacked a woman during his short-lived bid for freedom.

"He thinks he's  not guilty of the charge they were going to sentence him on that day, that's no excuse for running away, by any matter of means. But if he's a psychotic person, he has reason to think he's being persecuted," Howarth said.

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