Robert Lewis Dear, who is accused of the November 2015 mass shooting at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood that left three people dead, appeared in court for a competency hearing on Thursday and is sticking by his motive for the shooting.
During court, the primary detective from the Colorado Springs Police Department -- Det. Jerry Schiffelbein -- testified as well as the forensic evaluator for the state hospital -- Jackie Grimmett. Det. Schiffelbein described the rants Dear went on in the hours following the shooting. Grimmett explained why she thinks Dear is not competent to stand trial.
Det. Schiffelbein said he talked to Dear, 57, a great deal for about seven-and-a-half hours after the shooting. He said Dear told him that he wanted to waive his Miranda Rights and speak to detectives.
Multiple times during his discussion with Det. Schiffelbein, Dear referenced Luke 10:18, which mentions the quote "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven." Satan, Dear claims, is President Barack Obama. Dear insisted that Obama will cancel the election, declare martial law and reveal himself as the anti-Christ, according to Det. Schiffelbein.
Dear reportedly stood by his idea that the FBI have been following him for years, which prompted his move to Colorado. That and wanting to be near legal marijuana, Dear allegedly told Det. Schiffelbein. Det. Schiffelbein said Dear told him that even after he moved to Colorado, the feds were still following him and were asking his neighbors to spy on him. This led Dear to making a homemade vest using silver coins and duct tape to "protect himself from the feds who were out to get him."
Det. Schiffelbein said Dear told him that Planned Parenthood is the "evilest (sic) place on Earth." Dear started out the court proceedings on Thursday by saying: "Judgment is getting ready to fall on America for 100 million babies."
Dear told Det. Schiffelbein he planned to die at the Planned Parenthood shooting by committing suicide. Det. Schiffelbein said Dear told him that he had drawn a card himself with one side that said "shootout" on it and the other side said "give up" on it. He flipped the card after the shooting and "give up was on top. He felt it was a "sign from God speaking to him to give up." He originally wanted to plead guilty, according to Det. Schiffelbein, but Dear exclaimed in court "179 charges! You went overboard!"
He is upset still with his attorneys for wanting him to plead not guilty by reason of insanity because he believes this would diminish his cause. "He wants to argue on the defense of others," Dear said. He also mentioned agreeing with actor Tom Cruise's claim of psychiatry being "quackery." Dear also told Det. Schiffelbein he is concerned his attorneys will send him back to the "nuthouse." He's concerned, the detective testified, that he will be forgotten or silenced if he is sent to the mental hospital.
Dear makes a great deal of jail calls. His aunt reportedly told Dear that his attorneys are good people, but Dear countered that statement by saying that they may be good people but "not when you go against the president."
Jackie Grimmett, the forensic evaluator for the state hospital, testified after Det. Schiffelbein. Her job was to evaluate his mental competency based on two prongs: his factual and rational understanding of the proceedings and his ability to assist his counsel.
She told the court she met with Dear twice. The first meeting was for about 90 minutes, and Grimmett said after that first meeting, she thought he was not competent. Her second interview with Dear lasted a little less than an hour.
She and another doctor met with Dear, and they both concluded that he is not competent.
"[His] mental illness impacts his functional ability," Grimmett said. "I don't believe Mr. Dear is competent to stand trial."
Dear shot and killed three people during the shooting and is facing more than 179 counts of murder, attempted murder assault and other charges in the attack.
Officer Swasey, 44, worked for the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs Police Department. He rushed to the scene to help when he heard reports of the shooting. Swasey left behind a wife and two children.
Jennifer Markovsky, 36, also died in the shooting and also had two young children. Originally from Hawaii, Markovsky was at the Planned Parenthood that day to support a friend.
Ke’Arre Stewart, 29, was also at the clinic to support someone else and left behind two children. He was an Iraq war veteran who had recently left the military.
