subject: Psychological Testing Ordered for Jared Loughner [print this page] Psychological Testing Ordered for Jared Loughner
Jared Loughner, the man charged with the attempted assassination of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, pleaded not guilty to a 49-count federal indictment. In January, Loughner entered an event Giffords was hosting in a grocery store parking lot and opened fire, injuring thirteen people and killing six.However, U.S. District Judge Larry Burns is concerned that Loughner may not be able to stand trial. Burns was quoted as saying "I have concerns given the defendant's affect" in response to Loughner's unrelenting smile throughout his two-hour court hearing, leading many to speculate that he is psychologically unstable.
CBS News Correspondent John Blackstone remarked that "It was impossible to know whether he truly understood what was happening" due to the unsound nature of Loughner's demeanor during his trial. For this reason, Burns accepted the request by the prosecutors to have Loughner undergo psychiatric examination.
In the event that Loughner is determined to be unable to stand trial, he will remain imprisoned while undergoing psychiatric therapy until it is deemed by psychological professionals that he is competent enough to return to court. Loughner's defense attorney, Judy Clarke, disagreed with the required psychological examination ruling, stating that it would interfere with the trust she is trying to build with her client.
Regardless, the court will not move forward until Loughner's psychological status is examined. Until then, the community - and the victims of the shooting - can only wait. A few victims were present at this trial, marking the first time that many of them were within close vicinity to Loughner since January's shooting.
When asked how the community of Tucson is recovering, victim Bill Hileman replied that the area is "A-plus" and that "there are any number of causes that have sprung up in Christina's [the youngest victim of the shooting, who was killed instantly] name and that of the other victims to try to memorialize them in a positive way". A park in Tucson was recently renamed in honor of Christina, drawing a large crowd of about 250 people and revealing the progress the community is making to recover from the shooting while supporting the victims wholeheartedly.
