Sue Hartigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Ng To Face Trial for Calif. Murders > SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) -- The man accused of torturing > and killing a dozen people in a Sierra Nevada foothills > cabin more than a decade ago has the mental capacity to > stand trial, a judge ruled Monday. > > ``(Charles) Ng is not mentally incompetent,'' Superior > Court Judge John Ryan said. ``He has no mental disorder > and he is capable of assisting counsel if he chooses to > do so.'' > > Ng, 37, could face the death penalty if convicted. His > murder trial is scheduled to begin on Sept. 1. > > The former Marine suffered from untreated > manic-depressive illness and had a history of mental > depression, a defense doctor said. > > He was arrested in 1985 after fleeing to Canada, where > he fought extradition for six years until Canada's > Supreme Court ordered him released to California > authorities > > Ng and another suspect were accused of luring victims > to a cabin in 1984 and 1985, where they were jailed in > makeshift cells, tortured and killed. The co-defendant, > Leonard Lake, killed himself by swallowing cyanide as > police questioned him 11 years ago. > > Ng's trial has faced many delays because of the > extradition and his continual requests for new counsel. -- Two rules in life: 1. Don't tell people everything you know. 2. Subscribe/Unsubscribe, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the body of the message enter: subscribe/unsubscribe law-issues
