Psychologist calls fatal clinic shooting suspect delusional

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – A forensic psychologist testified Thursday that a man who acknowledged killing three people at a Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic suffers from a delusional disorder that causes him to believe the FBI is persecuting him and that President Barack Obama is the Antichrist.

Robert Dear, 57, is mentally incompetent to stand trial because of the disorder, psychologist Jackie Grimmett said during a competency hearing.

Dear lacks a rational understanding of the case against him and distrusts his attorneys too much to help with his defence, she said.

If a judge rules that Dear is incompetent, his case would be put on hold while he gets treatment intended to restore him to competency.

Dear is charged with 179 counts, including murder, attempted murder and assault for the Nov. 27 shootings in Colorado Springs. Nine people were injured.

Grimmett said she met with Dear twice for a mental evaluation. By the end of the second interview, she concluded he has a mental illness that impairs his ability to function.

Psychologist Thomas Gray also participated in the evaluations and agreed with her, Grimmett said.

Colorado Springs police Detective Jerry Schiffelbein testified earlier that Dear told people he believes his attorneys’ attempt to have him declared incompetent is part of a plot to diminish his message opposing abortion. Dear also said he doesn’t want to be declared incompetent because he fears he would be silenced at a mental hospital, according to the detective.

A judge ordered the mental evaluation of Dear after he announced he wanted to fire his public defenders and represent himself.

His defence wants him committed to a psychiatric hospital.

During an outburst in the courtroom on Thursday, Dear shouted “I forgive her” after Schiffelbein testified that Dear believed the FBI turned his longtime girlfriend against him and got her to spy on him.

During a previous court session, Dear declared himself a “warrior for the babies” and said he was guilty.

Authorities said Dear made dozens of calls to reporters and friends from jail saying he believed he was being persecuted by the FBI.

Dear said he believed FBI agents broke into his isolated home in Hartsel, tore his clothing and later followed him to the clinic where the shootings occurred. He said the FBI agents disappeared before the attack.