CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A man charged in a 2016 shooting death of a 15-year-old boy a few blocks from the state capitol was ruled incompetent to stand trial by a Kanawha County circuit judge Monday.
Kanawha County Circuit Judge Charles King said William Pulliam, 62, would be sent to the state-operated Sharpe Mental Hospital in Weston for 90 days of treatment to see if competency can be reached.
Pulliam, who failed a previous psychiatric evaluation, is charged with first degree murder and felony use of a firearm in connection with the death of James Means. The boy was shot and killed in November 2016 along Washington Street East on Charleston’s East End outside the Dollar General Store. Pulliam claimed he acted in self defense, but prosecutors have argued Means was shot multiple times as he tried to run away from Pulliam.
Pulliam allegedly told police “another piece of trash is off the street” following the incident.
Detectives previously said Means kept a BB-gun in his waistband that resembled a hand gun. It was later found in a bag. Pulliam is accused of telling the boy before he shot him the toy gun was going to get him killed.
Pulliam’s trial was scheduled to begin Monday.