Hector Rocha has changed his plea to not guilty by way of insanity in response to charges of murdering his housemate, allowing for potential back-to-back trials to examine his mental state.
Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Denine Guy explained the procedure for Rocha's trials: if found guilty, a second jury will assess his sanity during the murder.
After a standoff with police, Rocha was arrested and later deemed competent for trial; the court is now waiting for independent medical evaluations.
Should Rocha be guilty of the charges, including murder and illegal possession of firearms, the defense will need to prove his insanity in the subsequent trial.
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