PP shooter wants to defend himself

[pixy0stix]

www.9news.com/story/news/local/colorado-springs-shooting/2015/12/23/robert-dear-planned-parenthood-shooter-court/77845310/


COLORADO SPRINGS – The man who admitted to killing three people – including a police officer – and wounding nine others at the Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood will receive a mental competency evaluation after he told a judge he wants to represent himself in court.

Robert Dear, 57, made this request just minutes into a status hearing Wednesday afternoon, telling the judge he wants to "invoke the Constitutional right to defend himself."

Dear's attorney Daniel King, the chief trial deputy for the Colorado State Public Defender's Office, then requested a private conference between his team, the defendant and the judge – something the judge agreed to, despite objections from the prosecution.

What was discussed in that closed-door hearing aren't known, despite a request from the prosecution to unseal information about the proceedings.

"Unseal it!" Dear shouted.

Once court was back in session, the judge ordered a mental competency evaluation for Dear – something the defendant was fiercely opposed to. The results of this evaluation will be used to determine whether Dear is competent enough to defend himself.

Dear will spend the next 60 days at the state mental hospital in Pueblo, and will be back in court on Feb. 24 for a status conference. The entire process could take between six and nine months.

"Your forced psychological evaluation goes against my Constitutional rights!" Dear said. "I'm not going to say anything at that psychological evaluation."

The judge acknowledged the outburst, but told Dear that if he chooses not to cooperate, it could be used against him in further proceedings.

The defendant told the judge he was concerned he would be medicated against his will – at one point claiming police will "drug me to make me like Batman."

This was apparently referencing the convicted Aurora theater shooter, who was also represented by King and who was spared the death penalty after an Arapahoe County jury was unable to come to a unanimous decision.

Later during the hearing, Dear turned toward the gallery and slouched over, asking if he sounded "like a zombie."

The prosecution objected to the mental health evaluation, claiming that Dear clearly understands his rights and his charges.

Dear faces 179 counts for the Nov. 27 rampage and hours-long standoff with police, including first-degree murder, attempted murder and assault.

During his last court appearance, Dear admitted to the shooting, calling himself a "warrior for the babies." He also repeatedly criticized King, claiming that the public defender would put him on "psychotropic drugs."

Additional details about the shooting have been sealed. There was a motion to unseal those records during Wednesday's hearing.

The judge said he would take it into consideration, but that the case is an ongoing investigation.

[StrawberryBlondie]

This will go well for him...

[secretlyevil]

He's not too smart.

[One Girl In All The World]

Really solid plan he's got there.