Giffords Shooting Suspect Not Yet Ready for Trial
Jared Loughner is not yet competent to stand trial, according to the court-appointed psychologist in the case of the shooting that wounded Gabrielle Giffords.
Christina Pietz recommended evaluating Loughner’s competence in another four months, the Arizona Daily Star reported Thursday, citing a court order.
Loughner’s first four-month-stay is set to expire Feb. 8, and the judge in the case set a hearing for Monday to consider Pietz’s recommendation, the newspaper said.
“Dr. Pietz does, however, believe that the defendant has made measurable progress toward competency and that his mental state will continue to improve,” the Daily Star quoted U.S. District Judge Larry Burns as saying in his order.
Loughner killed six people and wounded another 13 when he opened fire at a constituent meeting in Tucson, Ariz. Jan. 8 2011 held by Giffords, who was then a congresswoman.
Giffords has recovered partially from her wounds, but this month resigned from Congress to focus fully on her recovery. Christina Pietz recommended evaluating Loughner’s competence in another four months, the Arizona Daily Star reported Thursday, citing a court order.
Loughner’s first four-month-stay is set to expire Feb. 8, and the judge in the case set a hearing for Monday to consider Pietz’s recommendation, the newspaper said.
“Dr. Pietz does, however, believe that the defendant has made measurable progress toward competency and that his mental state will continue to improve,” the Daily Star quoted U.S. District Judge Larry Burns as saying in his order.
Loughner killed six people and wounded another 13 when he opened fire at a constituent meeting in Tucson, Ariz. Jan. 8 2011 held by Giffords, who was then a congresswoman.
Giffords has recovered partially from her wounds, but this month resigned from Congress to focus fully on her recovery.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we need 500 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Our Goal: 500 gifts during our Passover Pledge Drive!