The attorney representing a Levittown man accused of killing and beheading his father and calling for the violent overthrow of the federal government on social media wants a judge to decide if his murder case can move forward.
Senior Chief Public Defender Joseph Haag has requested a mental competency hearing for 32-year-old Justin Mohn, who made international headlines following the Jan. 30 murder of his 68-year-old father, Michael Mohn, in their Middletown home.
The hearing is scheduled before Bucks County Common Pleas Judge Stephen Corr on Aug. 1.
The motion means the preliminary hearing for Mohn, set to take place at the Doylestown Justice Center on Thursday, has been rescheduled for late August.
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What does the competency motion filed for Justin Mohn say?
According to a copy of the July 2 defense motion, a psychologist hired by the defense evaluated Mohn in late April and determined he is not mentally competent and recommended treatment at Norristown State Psychiatric Hospital.
The prosecution retained a different psychologist who evaluated Mohn and determined on June 30 that he is mentally competent to stand trial.
What does PA law say about mental competency?
Whenever a person charged with a crime is found to be substantially unable to understand the nature or object of the proceedings against him or her, or to participate and assist in his or her defense, the court shall find the person incompetent, under state law.
If a judge finds a defendant is mentally incompetent, court proceedings are halted indefinitely until a defendant, if ever, is deemed mentally competent.
According to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry the standards for assessing decision-making capacity are ability to evidence a choice, ability to understand relevant information, ability to appreciate the situation and consequences and ability to process information rationally.
Where is Justin Mohn of Levittown now?
Mohn remains incarcerated without bail in the Bucks County Corrections Center in Doylestown, according to VineLink.
What authorities allege Justin Mohn did to his father in Levittown
Mohn is accused of shooting, killing then decapitating his father in the family’s Upper Orchard Drive home before recording a 14-minute video he posted on YouTube where he displayed his father’s severed head.
In the video, Mohn identified himself as“commander of America's national network of militias and called for the killing of all federal workers and ordered his followers to seize control of all federal law enforcement offices and federal courthouses.
After allegedly murdering his father, Mohn stole his father’s car and drove to the Army National Guard Training Center in Fort Indiantown Gap where he was apprehended.
Authorities said Mohn claimed he went to the military base in an effort to mobilize the Pennsylvania National Guard to raise arms against the federal government and convince Gov. Josh Shapiro to “join forces” with him.
Authorities allege Mohn had a flash drive containing photos of federal buildings and instructions that appear to show how to make explosive devices. He also had a loaded 9 mm handgun that he purchased the day before, police said.
Mohn allegedly shot his father before decapitating him.
What crimes is Justin Mohn charged with?
First-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, two counts of possession of an instrument of crime, three counts of felony terrorism, robbery, firearms not to be carried without a license, theft, receiving stolen property, criminal use of a communication facility, possession of a weapon, terroristic threats, defiant trespassing.
Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com
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