Judge: Man accused in church killings is mentally competent to stand trial in Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE (AP) — A man accused of killing his wife and then going to a church and killing four of her relatives is clearly able to understand the charges and to help his attorneys, a state judge has ruled.

District Judge Todd Hernandez ruled after hearing one mental health expert testify that Anthony Bell is not competent for trial, and hearing two others testify that he is.

He said he also based his ruling on defense motions — including one in which Bell asks him to replace defense attorney Margaret Lagattuta — that “clearly articulate the facts.”

Bell’s wife, Erica, was shot in an apartment complex parking lot in May 2006. Her relatives were killed in the Ministry of Jesus Christ Church. Bell claims his wife killed them.

Psychiatrist John Thompson Jr. and psychologist Donald Hoppe testified that Bell was mentally competent to stand trial. Psychologist Marc Zimmerman testified that Bell has the mental ability of a young child and is unfit for trial.

Both Hoppe and Zimmerman have concluded Bell is mentally retarded.

All three experts said they suspect may have been trying to hide his intelligence and understanding of court proceedings, possibly to avoid the death penalty.

Hoppe testified last week that when he first evaluated Bell in January, Bell gave an account of the slayings identical to the police report, except for blaming his wife. He also accurately described the legal process and the roles of various court personnel.

But when Hoppe returned two months later for a competency exam, Bell appeared to have lost that understanding.

When Hoppe confronted Bell about the discrepancy, the psychologist testified that Bell became agitated, exclaiming: “You people are too nosy. I don’t know nothing about no court.”

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