Woman accused of stabbing Boulder police officer found incompetent to stand trial – Boulder Daily Camera

A woman accused of stabbing a police officer in the shoulder at Lucky's Market in May was recently declared incompetent to stand trial.

Patricia Ann Murphy, 62, was initially arrested on two counts of first-degree assault on a peace officer, second-degree trespassing, obstructing a peace officer, resisting arrest – endangering an officer by bodily injury – and two counts of aggravated menacing.

Murphy was ultimately charged with attempted premeditated murder and two additional counts of first-degree assault – aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

But on June 26, an order was issued declaring Murphy incompetent to stand trial, according to court records. Murphy was admitted to a psychiatric hospital that same day to try to restore her sanity.

A review hearing is scheduled for September 19.

According to court records, Murphy has at least four prior convictions in Boulder County since 2007. This includes a 2017 assault case in which she pleaded guilty to second-degree assault with a deadly weapon.

According to an affidavit, on May 2, Boulder police responded to a report of a woman who was trespassing and had been asked to leave multiple times by employees of Lucky's Market at 3960 Broadway.

When officers arrived at the scene, the woman identified as Murphy was verbally aggressive and refused to leave the store.

According to the affidavit, police said Murphy then made a “stealthy move” and pulled a knife from her back pocket and stabbed an officer in the upper left shoulder.

According to the affidavit, Murphy then attempted to stab another officer, but the knife struck the officer's radio and caused no injuries. Murphy was grabbed by the shoulders from behind by the stabbed officer and then reportedly attempted to stab the injured officer again.

Murphy then walked back to her car and sat next to it with the knife in her right hand, the affidavit states. Police noted that they continued to give orders and point deadly and less-lethal weapons at Murphy.

According to the affidavit, police then negotiated with Murphy for about 45 minutes.

According to police, Murphy then put the knife in her back pocket but continued to refuse to follow further orders. She reportedly told officers, “She would not comply and did not care if force was used against her.”

The officers then used 40-millimeter foam batons against Murphy and shot her multiple times in the legs and hand, the affidavit states.

Murphy reportedly followed orders and was arrested.

The injured officer was later taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Originally published: August 23, 2024 at 16:00