Nov 04, 2023

Kan. judge rules in former Dallas Cowboy's competency hearing

Posted Nov 04, 2023 2:00 PM
Randle-photo Sedgwick County
Randle-photo Sedgwick County

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Former Dallas Cowboys running back and Wichita native Joseph Randle attended a competency hearing Friday in Sedgwick County.

District Judge Tyler Roush ruled Joseph Randle, 31 of Wichita, is incompetent to stand trial and ordered him be sent to an inpatient mental health treatment program in Houston,  according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

As soon as an inpatient bed becomes available at Larned State Hospital, he will be admitted into that facility for mental health care and treatment.

In April, police arrested Randle on requested charges of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated criminal sodomy, according to the Sedgwick County arrest report.  He is not currently in custody, according to online jail records.

Randle spent time in prison in Kansas after convictions for crimes committed in 2016 and 2017 including aggravated burglary, aggravated battery, criminal threat, interference with law enforcement and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

In 2015, Randle faced a misdemeanor shoplifting charge at a Dallas-area mall after police in the suburb of Frisco accused him of taking $123 worth of cologne and underwear from a department store.

In 2014, Randle was the Cowboy's backup to NFL rushing leader DeMarco Murray. Randle had 343 yards rushing and three touchdowns in his second NFL season. A fifth-round draft pick in 2013 after skipping his final season at Oklahoma State, Randle originally signed a four-year, $2.3 million rookie contract with the Cowboys.

-The Associated Press contributed to this report.