Family of suspect in Riverbank slaying says mental health warning signs ignored

A man accused in the beating death of his fellow resident at an adult care home in Riverbank appeared in court Thursday for a mental competency hearing.

The assault occurred Sept. 22 in Riverbank in an alley behind Adena Care Home. Brandon Patrick Whitton, 35, is charged with murder in the beating of 52-year-old Youra Kourana with a blunt object. Kourana died three days later.

Whitton’s mental competency has come into question and his criminal case remains suspended. The defendant appeared briefly in court Thursday morning but the hearing was ultimately postponed.

Whitton’s brother-in-law, David Wagner, said Whitton has been diagnosed with bipolar and schizoaffective disorder.

He said Whitton has spent time in Napa State Hospital for violent incidents in the past and family had tried to get him back into a facility with better supervision but faced obstacles because he has a court-appointed conservator who makes decisions on his behalf.

Whitton was released from Doctors Behavioral Health Center the night before the attack after a 72-hour involuntary hold, according to Wagner. Upon his release, Whitton had made threats about harming another resident at Adena he wrongly thought was a child molester, Wagner said.

“Doctors never should have let him out and Adena never should have let him back,” Wagner said. “I think the system failed him; they needed to take that threat more seriously.”

Adena has declined to comment about the incident, and a representative of Doctors Medical Center said she could not comment on the matter, citing patient privacy rights.

The State Department of Social Services, which licenses Adena Care Home, is investigating the incident.

The 15-bed care home serves adults with developmental and mental disabilities.

Kourana’s family has declined to comment about his mental health, instead focusing on the positive aspects of his life. Kourana’s uncle Krancle Envieh said Kourana enjoyed hiking and fishing; his favorite place was Yosemite National Park.

Kourana was born in Iran and came to the United States as a refugee in 1985 during the Iran-Iraq War, Envieh said.

Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Scott Steffen postponed Whitton’s hearing to Thursday, when the court will consider a report from forensic psychologist Phil Trompetter. The psychologist has conducted a mental health evaluation on Whitton.

The judge is trying to determine whether Whitton is competent to face the murder charge and assist his attorney in his own defense. If Whitton is determined to be mentally unfit, he likely would be sent to a state hospital to restore his competency before he can return to court.

Whitton’s case has not reached the preliminary hearing phase, in which the judge decides whether there’s enough evidence for the defendant to stand trial. The defendant remains in custody at the county jail.

This story was originally published October 22, 2016 at 2:10 PM with the headline "Family of suspect in Riverbank slaying says mental health warning signs ignored."