Teen’s murder trial delayed for mental evaluation

The murder trial of a Spokane teenager accused of killing his parents in their Mount Spokane home has been moved to Nov. 26.

Bryan Kim’s trial was scheduled to start Oct. 22, but it has been delayed so he can be evaluated to determine if he is mentally fit. Kim’s defense attorney previously said the Mount Spokane High School senior had been diagnosed as bipolar and was off his medications. A new claim says he suffered from diminished capacity at the time of the Dec. 5, killings.

Kim faces two counts of first-degree, premeditated murder in the deaths of Richard Kim, a 47-year old respiratory therapist, and Terri Kim, 46, a Rogers High School math teacher.

Court records show Kim had a history of violent behavior involving his parents. His mother had told investigators she was afraid of her son’s anger.

Bryan Kim’s older sister, Jessica Kim, told police after the killings that her brother had bipolar disorder and had been told by their parents to move out before the first of the year.

Kim is also charged with second-degree theft for taking $1,000 from his parents’ bank account, plus an additional charge of possession of stolen property for carrying his father’s bank card, which allegedly was used to withdraw the cash from the bank.