The man suspected of shooting people at random in Kalamazoo nearly two weeks ago will undergo a competency exam. That’s to determine whether Jason Brian Dalton is fit to go to trial on murder, assault and weapons charges. Dalton is accused of killing six people and wounding two more as he drove around Kalamazoo February 20.
On Thursday, Kalamazoo County Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Getting said the psychiatric exam has nothing to do with whether Dalton could plead insanity if he goes to trial. It’s about his state of mind now.
"Does he understand what’s happening now with regard to these proceedings, is he able to assist his defense attorney in a rational manner at this time," Getting says, referring to the questions the Center for Forensic Psychiatry will pursue in the evaluation.
A court conference to hear the exam results has been scheduled for May 10, but Getting says it’s possible they will be ready for presentation before that.
