Ahmed Deria remains unable to stand trial, more than four years after being charged with murdering his younger brother, Saeed Deria.
Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Stanley P. Klein ruled Wednesday, June 7, that Deria, now 35, won’t be able to be restored to competency in the near future and dismissed murder charges against Deria “without prejudice.”
Because charges were dismissed without prejudice, Commonwealth’s Attorney Robert F. Horan Jr. retains the right to reindict Deria for murder if his mental health is ever restored in the future.
Deria was “committed civilly [to Central State Hospital in Petersburg] on the theory that he is a danger and continues to be a danger,” Horan said.
DERIA’S BROTHER was 28 when he was fatally stabbed while he was asleep in his apartment in Chantilly’s Rockland Village community on Dec. 20, 2001.
Ahmed Deria, formerly of the Kingstowne section of Franconia, was visiting his brother the night of the murder.
Deria was indicted for murder by a Fairfax Circuit Court grand jury on Jan. 22, 2002.
After his arrest, Deria exhibited visual and auditory hallucinations, and refused to take medication or wear clothes while jailed at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.
Deria was transferred to Central State Hospital on Feb. 13, 2002 for mental health evaluation and treatment.
Various doctors have diagnosed him with a number of different mental health problems, including schizophrenia by some doctors and schizoaffective disorder by others as well as mental retardation, Horan said. Childhood head trauma caused Deria problems with thinking and memory, according to testimony in court hearings over the last four years.
Deria had stabbed his brother, who survived that attack, in California years before the murder, according to Horan and testimony from doctors.
“The judge feels that he is unable to cooperate with his attorneys for his own defense,” Horan said.
Deria has needed continued treatment and medication to keep from becoming violent and aggressive. “Evidently, he has, off and on, been psychotic in the institution,” Horan said.
Deria required emergency restraint and medications after striking a female mental health technician without apparent reason less than two months ago, on April 22.
“He has a history of that,” Horan said.
<1b>— Ken Moore