The Uber driver who was charged for the fatal shooting rampage in Kalamazoo was competent to stand trial, authorities confirmed. The defendant has been ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation earlier this year and is scheduled to appear on mental competency hearing.
According to Fox17, Michigan State Police stated that Jason Dalton, the suspect for killing six people on a deadly shooting rampage is found competent to stand on legal proceedings. The said result of the completed psychiatric test on Dalton was released days before he is set to appear on a Friday trial.
Dalton is charged with six counts of murder and 10 other felonies in connection with the killings on February 20th. According to the authorities, the defendant exhibited "periodical remorse during an interrogation" over the said shooting rampage in Kalamazoo area.
It was reported, that Dalton, 45-years old shoot random people outside an apartment building, a restaurant and a car dealership, while working as an Uber driver, according to ABC News. The incident left six people dead and two others wounded.
Among the victims of the shooting were include a father and son and four people on the restaurant, Cracker Barrel, WZZM13 reported. According to the police, the defendant admitted that he fired shots on the people, and claimed the Uber app made him do it, by controlling his mind and body.
A lawyer in Criminal Attorney and Professor at Cooley Law School said, he can still plead not guilty over the crime, "by reason of insanity". "If he raises that defense, then he will have to prove to the jury, that by virtue of a mental illness, he couldn't appreciate the quality or character of what he was doing," Attorney Curt Benson said.
The judge will decide whether to uphold the recommendation or dismiss it. However, mostly the judge agrees to the recommendations.
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