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Defendant in Mossyrock knife argument pleads not guilty, will argue self defense

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Grace E. Barker turns toward the gallery in Lewis County Superior Court during her hearing.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The woman accused of stabbing her boyfriend in the neck at his Mossyrock home was found competent so her case could continue and pleaded not guilty yesterday in Lewis County Superior Court.

Grace E. Barker, 26, was evaluated at the Lewis County Jail by personnel from the state’s psychiatric hospital, according to her lawyer.

Barker was arrested on April 6 following the incident at the 200 block of Mossyrock Road West, and subsequently charged with first-degree assault. The offense carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Defense attorney Shane O’Rourke told a judge yesterday afternoon, his client would be withdrawing her previous plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.

He told the judge that wasn’t a viable route, based on the work they’d done so far on the case. He didn’t offer further detail.

Prosecutors wrote in court documents that Brian Slater was trying to get Barker to leave his residence when she picked up a knife, and he armed himself with a knife and when he threw his down thinking she had done the same, she stabbed him in the throat.

Slater spent about three days at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with a punctured lung and other injuries before being released. He has said the weapon was 10-inch long stiletto.

Concern about Barker’s mental stability led to postponements and the visit from Western State Hospital.

While she was found competent enough to understand and assist in her own defense, she made the plea of not guilty by reason of insanity a few weeks ago. O’Rourke explained that has to do with the question of whether a person is sane at the time of the incident.

Outside the courtroom yesterday, he reiterated they withdrew that plea only for the general reason he gave the judge.

He will be focused on a self defense argument, O’Rourke said.

Slater, her boyfriend and the father of her child, has said he supports her 100 percent and wants to see her get help instead of a jail cell.

Barker’s trial is scheduled for the week of June 20 in Lewis County Superior Court. She remains held on $500,000 bail.
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For background, read “Mossyrock argument: Two knives, one airlifted, other arrested” from Thursday April 7, 2016, here [2]