The man accused of shooting an assault rifle at the White House has been deemed of sound enough mind to face trial, but the U.S. government would like a second opinion.
On Monday morning, Dr. Elisabeth Teegarden delivered a report to the U.S. government, in which she judged Oscar Ortega-Hernandez to be mentally competent.
But in a court filing Monday, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ronald C. Machen requested that Ortega-Hernandez undergo a more thorough mental screening. Machen wrote that he did not dispute Dr. Teegarden's initial evaluation, but thought a longer-form mental evaluation should be conducted, based upon the severity of the charges.
Teegarden’s evaluation was based upon a 50-minute interview. Ortega-Hernandez has been charged with attempted assassination of President Barack Obama, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
President Obama was not in the White House when Ortega-Hernandez allegedly fired a Romarm Cugir Wasr 10, an AK-47-style weapon, at the White House from Constitution Avenue.
In a videotaped recording intended for television personality Oprah Winfrey, the suspect referred to himself as a "modern day Jesus."
The 21-year-old is represented by a court-appointed public attorney.
