Hearing on US shooting spree suspect's competency

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A U.S. judge is set to determine Monday whether the suspect in the shooting rampage that killed six people and wounded several others, including then-U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, should remain at a federal prison facility where officials are forcibly medicating him.

U.S. District Court Judge Larry Burns said in his court filing that he is inclined to extend the stay after learning the chief federal psychologist of Jared Lee Loughner believes the 23-year-old is still not competent to stand trial, though his mental state has made "measurable progress" during the roughly six months there.

Loughner has pleaded not guilty to 49 charges related to the Jan. 8, 2011, shooting in Arizona that killed six people and injured Giffords and 12 others. Giffords resigned from Congress last month to focus on her recovery after being shot in the head.

Loughner's federal psychologist, Dr. Christina Pietz, believes he "still lacks an adequate understanding of the nature and consequences of the charges against him," but given the fact he is making progress toward competency, the court is inclined to extend Loughner's stay by another four months beyond Feb. 8, when he was originally expected to be released, Burns said in his filing.

Mental health experts have determined Loughner suffers from schizophrenia and are trying to make him fit to stand trial. His attorneys have vigorously fought the government's efforts to medicate him with psychotropic drugs.

An appeals court temporarily halted Loughner's forced medication last summer, but the medication resumed once mental health experts at the prison concluded that his condition was deteriorating.

A call to Loughner's lead attorney, Judy Clarke, for comment wasn't immediately returned.