The trial for Billy Bartlett, the Amanda Park man accused of killing a 46-year-old man and injuring a 12-year-old in Chehalis in December 2021, has again been delayed, this time reportedly due to a significant amount of evidence that was sent to Bartlett’s attorney days before the trial was scheduled to begin.
All involved parties confirmed the Tuesday, Aug. 29, trial start date during a hearing on Thursday, Aug. 24, but Bartlett’s attorney, Christopher Baum, told the court Monday he received multiple discovery packets via email at about noon on Friday, Aug. 25. Those packets contained over 50 separate pieces of evidence, including videos, audio records and phone call reports.
“As the court can tell from the attachment, the discovery provided is voluminous. The defense has not had an opportunity to view the discovery and won’t before trial,” Baum wrote in a motion submitted to Lewis County Superior Court on Monday, Aug. 28.
Bartlett, 32, is accused of approaching the adult victim, William A. Foster III, of Tacoma while he was in a van at a gas pump with his two children, a 12-year-old and a 4-year-old, and asking Foster for a cigarette before stabbing Foster and injuring the 12-year-old in an unprovoked attack. Bartlett is also accused of fleeing the scene on foot before trying to break into an apartment complex in the 100 block of Northeast Boistfort Street, where officers were able to arrest him.
Bartlett faces one count each of first-degree murder, first-degree assault of a child and first-degree burglary. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Baum has told the court he intends to argue Bartlett is not guilty by reason of insanity.
Given the newly received discovery, Baum wrote in his motion, “The defense is forced to ask for a continuance to view the new discovery and see how it impacts our insanity defense. Our expert will also need to view the evidence and render an opinion as to whether it impacts our defense.”
A Lewis County Superior Court judge granted Baum’s motion to continue the trial. A hearing to set new trial dates is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 31.
Bartlett was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail the same day of the alleged offenses on Dec. 20, 2021. The case was put on an indefinite hold quickly after it was filed in Lewis County Superior Court on Dec. 21, 2021, when a mental health evaluation found Bartlett was not capable of standing trial. After undergoing treatment at Western State Hospital, Bartlett was deemed competent in January of 2022 and the court set trial dates, but the trial has been delayed several times since then.
Bartlett has been held at the Lewis County Jail without bail since his arrest.
