Mark Burris Jr., 38, of Lima, has been found incompetent to stand trial for his role in the assault of a woman earlier this year.
J Swygart | The Lima News
LIMA — A Lima man who aided his father in the assault of a woman has been ruled incompetent to stand trial.
Mark Burris Jr., 38, of Lima, made a brief appearance Wednesday in Allen County Common Pleas Court during which the results of his recent psychological assessment were made public. Judge Jeffrey Reed said Dr. Anthony Byrd found Burris suffers from a “serious mental illness” and is unable at the current time to assist in his own defense. The doctor said he believes Burris’ competency to stand trial can be restored with treatment.
He was ordered to be housed in a behavioral health facility in Toledo for those treatments.
Burris was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of kidnapping, first-degree felonies, and one count of felonious assault, a felony of the second degree.
According to court documents, officers with the Lima Police Department responded on the evening of March 8 to an apartment in the 200 block of North Elizabeth Street in Lima in reference to an assault. A caller had told police Mary Lemke had been severely beaten by 57-year-old Mark Burris Sr. Officers found Lemke with her face covered in blood, court records show.
She told police she had been celebrating Burris’s birthday, adding that he had been drinking in excess and had taken an assortment of drugs. Lemke said the elder Burris had become enraged “for an unknown reason” and had begun to knock objects off the wall and was breaking items in the apartment.
Lemke reportedly told officers Burris Sr. then began to beat and strangle her. At one point the younger Burris grabbed her and assisted his father in the assault. Lemke was able to call her son, who called police. After a stand-off of several hours both men were taken into custody.
Mark Burris Sr. faces charges identical to those filed against his son.
