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Court faces dilemma following Planned Parenthood outburst

Attorney Rose Roy, center, tries to quite client Robert Lewis Dear during an outburst while attorney Daniel King argues on Dear's behalf in court appearance on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Dear, accused of killing three people and wounding nine others at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood clinic on Nov. 27, was charged with first-degree murder. (Andy Cross/The Denver Post via AP, Pool) Attorney Rose Roy, center, tries to quite client Robert Lewis Dear during an outburst while attorney Daniel King argues on Dear's behalf in court appearance on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Dear, accused of killing three people and wounding nine others at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood clinic on Nov. 27, was charged with first-degree murder. (Andy Cross/The Denver Post via AP, Pool)

By Associated Press December 10, 2015 1 min read

DENVER (AP) – The man who opened fire on a Planned Parenthood clinic could push a Colorado court to decide whether his actions were an act of political zealotry or mental illness.

Robert Lewis Dear clashed with defense attorney Daniel King in court Wednesday, bluntly declaring his reasons for the shootings even as King suggested Dear might need a psychiatric evaluation.

Dear rejected that, calling it an excuse to silence him with drugs.

Dear is charged with 179 counts, including murder and attempted murder. Prosecutors say he killed three and injured nine at the Colorado Springs clinic.

University of Denver law professor Nancy Leong (lee-AWNG) says if Dear is found to be mentally competent, he has a right to make political statements, even if his lawyers think it’s unwise.