Maryland doctors are treating a Montgomery County man in hopes of making him mentally competent for a murder trial.
Claude A. Allen III -- who was charged with homicide last May for allegedly killing a man with a hatchet outside his Gaithersburg home -- was found not competent for trial two months ago. That means he's not able to help his attorney or understand the proceedings against him.
His lawyer, Steven Kupferberg, said Friday that doctors at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital are treating Allen with the goal of making him competent to stand trial.
If he is restored to competency, he'll then be evaluated to determine whether he is not criminally responsible on account of a mental disorder.
Allen is accused of killing Michael P. Harvey, 25, whose body was found behind a home in the 7200 block of Cliff Pine Drive after Allen called 911 to report that he killed a would-be burglar at his home.
Officers said they soon determined there had been no burglary attempt, and that Allen and Harvey knew each other.
They believe Harvey was killed inside the home's garage after a dispute over a drug deal.
