PORT ANGELES — A 26-year-old woman accused of trying to set fire to her family while they were sleeping in a Sequim motel room pleaded not guilty to three counts of second-degree attempted murder Friday.
Sheree L. Clemons announced her plea at her arraignment moments after Clallam County Superior Court Judge George Wood asked her a series of direct questions to test her mental competency.
“Do you understand what you are charged with?” Wood asked Clemons, who was handcuffed and dressed in an orange jump suit.
“Yes,” she responded.
“Can you tell me what that is?”
“Murder,” Clemons answered in a barely audible voice.
Wood clarified to Clemons that she was being charged with second-degree attempted murder. He said a trial-start date would not be set until later.
Wood also did not order a mental competency evaluation for Clemons as he had suggested he might during Clemons’ first court appearance.