The woman accused of unleashing a barrage of 20 shots at Rihanna's Los Angeles residence has had her attempted murder case suspended. Judge Shannon Cooley, after meeting privately with a public defender and discovering sufficient evidence to question Ortiz's mental competency, halted the proceedings against Ivanna Ortiz, a court source confirmed to Rolling Stone on Tuesday.
Ortiz is accused of firing at the house with a semi-automatic rifle, prompting the singer to bodily push her husband A$AP Rocky to the ground for cover. The accused will now be referred to the county's mental health court for an evaluation and a determination on whether she can comprehend the proceedings against her. This ruling came a week after the judge denied a similar request, stating that there was insufficient evidence at the time to override Ortiz's demand for a trial. Furthermore, Ortiz was not present in court to hear yesterday's decision.
Ortiz has pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted murder, 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and three counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling. Prosecutors allege that she drove to Rihanna's home on March 8 and fired the rounds while the property was occupied by the famous couple, their three young children, and Rihanna's mother. At a prior hearing, Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott described the incident as "an extremely dangerous deliberate shooting in occupied homes."
