Giffords shooter deemed incompetent, won't stand trial (yet)

By Michael J.W. Stickings

NYT:

A federal judge ruled Wednesday that Jared L. Loughner was not mentally competent to stand trial on charges that he opened fire at a constituent event for Representative Gabrielle Giffords in January, killing six and injuring her and 12 others.

The ruling by Judge Larry A. Burns of Federal District Court suspends the court proceedings against Mr. Loughner while the suspect, who experts said has schizophrenia, undergoes treatment at a federal psychiatric facility in Springfield, Mo.  

It's disappointing, I suppose, that Loughner will now face treatment instead of a trial, but it's good that the system allows for such determinations. In this case, we can assume that the judge did not make his ruling lightly.

For more, see Jeralyn Merritt at TalkLeft.