Pedersen declared incompetent to stand trial

WASHINGTON - A Washington man accused of killing his roommate has been deemed unfit to stand trial.

Clarence Pedersen, of Washington, has been ruled incompetent and will not go to trial for the alleged murder of his roommate Edward 'Ed” Jones.

According to a news release from the Washington County Attorney's office, Pedersen, 65, was charged with first degree murder for Jones' death on July 11, 2018. In November 2018, a judge ruled Pedersen incompetent for trial and ordered him to the Iowa Medical and Classification Center at the Oakdale Prison, in Coralville, for treatment.

After about 10 months of treatment, the court declared Pedersen was still incompetent and would not improve with further treatment. On Sept. 20, the District Court for Washington County declared Pedersen would not stand trial.

The press released stated the charge is not stayed, 'meaning he will no longer be prosecuted unless he later regains competency.”

Washington County Attorney John Gish stated in the release, 'I'm saddened that Ed's family, friends, and the greater Washington community will not see justice for his senseless death. My office will do everything we can to protect the community within the limitations of Iowa's mental health system, and try to keep Pedersen off the streets.”

In 1979, Pedersen was convicted of shooting and killing his brother-in-law, Kent Nelson. Pedersen refused a public defender, instead choosing to represent himself. The Iowa Supreme Court overturned the conviction in 1981, as they found Pedersen mentally unfit to represent himself.