White Man Who Allegedly Assaulted Black Boy Deemed Incompetent to Stand Trial

In a shocking turn of events, the white Washington man accused of assaulting a Black boy in a racist attack has been deemed incompetent to stand trial. Paul Jonathan Bittner, 42, was charged with a hate crime and second-degree assault of a child after allegedly punching the sixth-grade boy in the face while making racist remarks.

Surveillance footage captured the disturbing incident, which left the child with a chipped tooth and immense pain. Bittner was located and detained by Bellingham police shortly after the attack. Despite pleading not guilty to the charges, a recent competency evaluation deemed him unfit to stand trial.

According to court records, Bittner has a history of mental health issues, including a diagnosis of schizophrenia. He had received mental health treatment at a secure forensic state psychiatric hospital in California from 2019 to 2023. The evaluation conducted by a neuropsychologist revealed Bittner’s struggles with delusional thinking, hallucinations, and violent tendencies.

As a result of the evaluation, Bittner has been ordered to undergo 90 days of inpatient competency restoration treatment at Western State Hospital. While some may feel that this outcome is not enough, the boy’s family expressed gratitude that Bittner is receiving the help he needs.

“We’re grateful he’s getting the help he needs, and we believe the community is safer because of it,” the family said in a statement to The Herald. Despite the disappointment of not seeing Bittner face trial, the focus now is on ensuring his mental health needs are addressed for the safety of the community.