Overview
- B.J. Penn returned to a Hawaii courtroom after missing a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation that followed a series of 2025 arrests.
- Penn told the judge he last spoke with his public defender in October 2025 and said he learned about the required evaluation from a third party checking the online docket.
- He filed to dismiss his court-appointed attorney so he can hire private counsel, and the judge directed him to speak directly with the attorney before any change is considered.
- Penn also asked Judge Peter Kubota to recuse himself, saying he tried to submit a recusal request and contact the judge’s chambers but received no response.
- The court gave the evaluator until Feb. 23 to file a written report and scheduled the next hearing for March 2, with the case set against a backdrop of six arrests, a restraining order from Penn’s mother, and filings alleging possible Capgras delusional syndrome.