OAKLAND — After a brief trial interruption spurred by doubts about his mental competency, an Oakland man was convicted of killing a romantic rival in a 2021 shooting, court records show.
Charles Beal, 32, was convicted of first-degree murder, enhancements for use of a firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in the June 25, 2021 death of 33-year-old Ukono Hall. The sentencing date has been set for Nov. 30.
Hall was fatally shot outside an apartment on the 5400 block of Bancroft Avenue in East Oakland. Prosecutors say that Beal shot him once in the chest and once in the back, a week after having threatened Hall not to come to the apartment complex to visit a woman they were both dating.
At Beal’s June 27 preliminary hearing, Hall’s relative testified that they were together when Hall was killed, and that he’d heard rumors that Hall had a $3,000 bounty placed on his head. He also testified that he went for his own gun and fired back at Beal, but missed him.
The defense didn’t argue against the charges at the preliminary hearing, but Beal’s lawyer filed paperwork indicating he wanted to impeach the relative’s identification of Beal, using the witness’ decades-old assault and domestic violence convictions.
At the start of Beal’s trial last month, his attorney halted criminal proceedings by formally doubting Beal’s mental competency. The proceedings were resumed days later, when Beal was deemed mentally competent for trial.
Jurors reached their verdict on Oct. 30. On the final day of his trial, Beal refused to come out of his jail cell, according to court records.
Beal faces 25 years to life in prison for the murder conviction alone.
Source: www.mercurynews.com