ISRAEL: Judge Orders Psychiatric Evaluation For Jerusalem Pride Killer

A Jerusalem judge today ordered pride parade killer Yishai Schlissel to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to determine if he is fit to stand trial. During his arraignment last week, Schlissel declared that he doesn't recognize the authority of the Israeli legal system. Via the Jerusalem Post:

Judge Einat Zinger decided as a result of the hearing to send Schlissel for psychiatric observation. The law states that the suspect must have representation, but the judge added that "in these circumstances, the public defender should be appointed. However, in this situation, I will make due with the public defender's representative being present in the courtroom during the hearing." Zinger said that "the defendant will be checked by a district psychiatrist who will determine if he was responsible for his actions at the time he carried out the attack and if he is fit to stand trial."The judge added that Schlissel should be checked within 48 hours and the results should be available for the court within seven days.."

Yesterday Schlissel's mother apologized to the family of murdered teen Shari Banki.

“We think it’s really a great tragedy, we regret it very much and pray for the recovery of the wounded,” Rivka Schlissel told family members of Shira Banki, 16, who died of her wounds three days after the attack, during a meeting in the studio of the Walla! news website, it reported. Schlissel’s family and members of his ultra-Orthodox community, remain under investigation by the Jerusalem District Police, who are working to discover whether others knew of his intention to attack marchers in the parade, according to Walla. Investigators also are checking calls made to and from his cell phone in the days leading up to the attack.