Fatal Stabbing Pre-Trial Hearing Continues

The preliminary hearing in the case of a Newark woman who was fatally stabbed last April will continue this morning.

Jason Otis Monroe, 33, is scheduled to appear at the Fremont Hall of Justice at 9 a.m. for the continued pre-trial hearing. He faces one count of murder for the death of Evangeline Supena Contillo.

Monroe pleaded not guilty to the murder on Nov. 4. His pre-trial hearing has been delayed twice.

On January 20, the pre-trial was delayed because , a psychiatric hospital associated with Alameda County Medical Center, according to his attorney Deputy Public Defender Sam Yun.

The state of Monroe’s mental condition is still unknown. His attorney and Deputy District Attorney Lindsay Walsh have not commented on the matter.

During his early court appearances, Monroe has announced he had been taking antipsychotic drugs, claimed his children were “caught in the middle of something horrific,”  and requested to represent himself.

He has refrained from making such comments in court since accepting a public defender to represent him.

Monroe is being held on no bail at Santa Rita Jail. He was arrested April 27 after police responded the 36600 block of Cherry Street and found Monroe covered in blood and Contillo inside of the home.

Other court appearances are as follows (chronological order):

• April 29: Monroe appeared in court for an arraignment, but it was pushed to May 2.
• May 2: Judge Dennis McLaughlin ordered a mental evaluation after Monroe stated he had been taking a variety of antipsychotic drugs. It was also learned that Contillo had a restraining order against him at the time of her murder.
• May 4: Monroe appeared in court with Public Defender Kristen McCannon and after making dramatic statements in which he claimed his children were “caught in the middle of something horrific.”
• May 6: Monroe himself and McLaughlin accepted Monroe’s request to be represented by a public defender.
• May 18: Monroe , and a plea was scheduled for June.
• June 24: Monroe’s
• Sept. 1: Monroe’s
• Nov. 24: Monroe to one count of murder.
• Jan. 20: Monroe’s and states that Monroe is at John George.
• Feb. 17: Monroe’s and scheduled for March 15 and his preliminary examination is set for May 21-24.