Cedar Rapids man found incompetent to stand trial in attempted murder case

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids man charged with attempting to kill a man in 2020 has been found incompetent to stand trial.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Ian Thornhill, in an order filed earlier this month, said Dushaun X. Scott, 29, was found incompetent in a June 30 evaluation conducted by a state psychologist at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Coralville. Scott will be sent to the forensic psychiatric hospital at the Coralville prison for treatment to restore competency.

The proceedings in the attempted murder case will remain on hold until treatment is completed.

Thornhill, also in his order, directed a state psychiatrist or licensed doctorate-level psychologist to provide a written status report to the court within 30 days from the time treatment begins. The report should provide a status report of Scott’s mental disorder and whether it appears he can be restored in a “reasonable amount of time.”

If restored competency is possible, treatment should continue with progress reports made to the court every 60 days, according to the order.

A status conference is set for Aug. 17.

Scott is charged with attempted murder, willful injury causing bodily injury, going armed with intent and control of a firearm by a felon.

Authorities said Scott approached Hasan Bosco, who was standing on the front porch of a residence in the 400 block of 18th Street SE on Nov. 5, 2020, and asked the man for a job. According to a criminal complaint, while Bosco was getting his information, Scott pulled out a handgun and shot Bosco in the leg.

“Bosco ran from the defendant in fear for his life,” the complaint stated.

Scott later was arrested in an armed robbery of Smokin’ Joe’s liquor store about 30 minutes later on that same day.

During further investigation, police determined that two shell casings taken from the shooting scene on 18th Street SE matched the handgun in Scott’s possession after the liquor store robbery. He was charged months later in the shooting.

Scott pleaded last year to second-degree robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The attempted murder trial will be reset once Scott has completed treatment.

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com