Mental health exam ordered for supermarket shooting suspect
BOULDER, Colo. — A judge on Tuesday ordered a state mental health evaluation for the man accused of killing 10 people at a Colorado supermarket in March to determine whether he is competent to proceed with the case.
Judge Ingrid Seftar Bakke ordered that one or more state psychiatrists or psychologists conduct the evaluation of Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa within three weeks at the Boulder County jail, where Alissa has been detained since the March 22 shooting at a crowded King Soopers supermarket in Boulder.
The evaluation is meant to determine whether Alissa, 22, is able to understand court proceedings and assist his lawyers in defending him. It’s a separate legal issue than a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, which hinges on whether someone’s mental health prevented them from knowing right from wrong when a crime was committed.
A finding either way on competency potentially could slow the case down.
Based in part on an evaluation it arranged, the defense claims there is a “reasonable belief” that Alissa suffers from an unspecified “mental disability.” The details about why are not known, contained in a court filing sealed under state law. Public defender Daniel King told Bakke that the defense will use its right to ask for another evaluation if the state evaluation finds that Alissa is competent.
If Alissa is found incompetent, he could not go on trial unless he can be treated to make him well enough to at least be able to understand proceedings and help his lawyers.
Bakke set a hearing for Oct. 19 in hopes of moving ahead with reviewing the evidence against Alissa, which is what was originally scheduled to happen Tuesday before the defense raised concerns about Alissa’s competency last week.
“This case needs to move along,” she said as about 20 shooting victims and victims’ families listened in the courtroom while others watched proceedings online.
Bakke later also scheduled a review hearing for Sept. 30 which prosecutors said was intended to discuss the findings of Alissa’s competency evaluation.