A choose on Wednesday ordered a psychological competency examination for the 31-year-old man accused of trying to tamper with a voting station in Pueblo through the major election in June.
Richard Patton, who’s free on bond, will report for an outpatient psychological competency analysis, Pueblo District Courtroom Choose William Alexander ordered throughout a quick listening to Wednesday. The analysis should be accomplished inside about 42 days, the choose ordered.
A competency analysis considers whether or not a felony defendant is mentally ailing or developmentally disabled, and whether or not that psychological sickness impedes the defendant’s means to know the courtroom course of. It facilities on two prongs — whether or not defendants have a factual and rational understanding of the proceedings, and whether or not defendants are in a position to seek the advice of with their attorneys and help in their very own defenses.
Competency refers solely to a defendant’s present psychological capability and is distinct from an madness protection, which focuses on the defendant’s psychological state on the time of the alleged crime.
Patton, a registered Democrat, is charged with felony election tampering and appeared in courtroom Wednesday however didn’t converse. He’s accused of “trying to tamper with (a) voting station” in June and was arrested final week, then launched on a $5,000 private recognizance bond.
Courtroom information anticipated to element the allegations in opposition to Patton weren’t instantly out there Wednesday.
Throughout Wednesday’s listening to, Alexander additionally agreed to place in place a gag order that may prohibit the attorneys and regulation enforcement businesses concerned within the case from talking publicly about it. The gag order was requested by Patton’s public defenders and opposed by prosecutors with the tenth Judicial District Lawyer’s Workplace, who stated it was pointless and preemptive.
Alexander disagreed with prosecutors.
“There was fairly a little bit of current media consideration, even at a nationwide degree, with reference to this case,” Alexander stated as he agreed to the gag order.
Patton will return to courtroom on Dec. 29.