SALEM —The Lynn father who is charged with misleading investigators about his missing son, last seen more than three years ago, refused yesterday to talk to a court staff psychologist.
Ernesto Gonzalez, 39, was in Salem District Court in a separate case stemming from a violent and unprovoked attack on a cellmate at Middleton Jail in October, an assault that left the other inmate with severe eye damage.
Despite a notation on the court docket indicating that he had previously been arraigned, that proceeding had not taken place, after Gonzalez's new attorney raised concerns about his competency.
A court psychologist had been set to meet with the suspect yesterday morning, but after Gonzalez refused to speak to him, his lawyer asked to postpone the arraignment again.
Judge Sabita Singh denied the request and arraigned Gonzalez.
Defense lawyer Russell Sobelman said that on Thursday Gonzalez did sit down for two hours with a defense-hired psychologist, Dr. Robert Joss, who concluded that he is not competent to stand trial in either the Lynn or Middleton Jail cases.
During a hearing earlier this month in Salem Superior Court in the case involving his son, Gonzalez yelled out, "I want to plead guilty," before being led out of the courtroom.
Gonzalez was the last person seen with 5-year-old Giovanni, his son with Daisy Colon, during a weekend visitation at his Lynn apartment in August 2008.
Courts reporter Julie Manganis may be reached at 978-338-2521 or at jmanganis@salemnews.com.
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