Judge orders Loughner mental exam

Associated Press ^ | March 21, 2011 | AMANDA LEE MYERS

[Free ThinkerNY]

PHOENIX (AP) -- An Arizona judge has ordered the suspect in Tucson's shooting rampage to undergo a mental evaluation at a specialized facility in Springfield, Mo., as soon as possible.

In a ruling late Monday, U.S. District Judge Larry Burns says that the evaluation will be videotaped and provided to prosecutors and defense attorneys.

[hinckley buzzard]

This is a request for evaluation of competency to stand trial. It is not an evaluation of legal insanity. Two very different things, both routine in such cases. In my distant opinion he will be found competent. All that means, really, is that he understands the charges against him, the role of the various courtroom characters(eg that he understands that the prosecutor is not his friend), the ability to provide accurate information to his attorney, and such other fundamentals.

Issues about legal insanity will follow.

[allmost]

That is one crazy lookin dude.

[Domangart]

He may be barking mad but he knows right from wrong.

[allmost]

I have no idea how he left that scene alive.

[NoLibZone]

Sheriff Dupnik will be involved in the proceedings.

He needs a Psych eval as well.

[montag813]

Uh Oh. UH OH!!! The Save Jared Loughner From the Death Penalty movement has begun.

[dfwgator]

His brain worked well enough to commit the crime....fry him!

[jimt]

Exactly. If he was able to do the crime - and he did - he should get the penalty.