WASHINGTON — A competency examination has been ordered for a Pennsylvania doctor accused of showing up to the Trump International Hotel, in D.C., with an assault-style weapon and ammunition.
The decision comes during a court battle over whether a psychiatric exam is warranted for Dr. Bryan Moles, 43, of Edinboro, Pennsylvania.
Prosecutors pushed for testing based on Moles’ alleged statements and actions before and after he was arrested in May. Moles at the time of his arrest told investigators that he came to D.C. to meet with the President Donald Trump about Big Pharma. He also had cash and survival gear in his vehicle.
Moles appeared in U.S. District Court in D.C. on Thursday in an orange prison jump suit after being taken back into custody recently for violating the terms of his release. He was supposed to stay out of D.C. except for court matters, but, using pictures posted on Facebook, prosecutors convinced the judge that the terms of his release had been violated.
U.S. Attorney Michael Friedman cited witness statements while calling into question Moles’ ability to “confer intelligently.” In one instance, prosecutors said, Moles allegedly told a friend that his criminal case is a roadblock put in place by the Central Intelligence Agency.
Prosecutors have also said in court documents that Moles told a female acquaintance on his way to D.C. that cars were communicating with him through colors of their paint.
Moles is also accused of causing property damage to a Georgia Veterans Affairs clinic after his initial release.
Friedman called a comprehensive evaluation to determine Moles’ competency and danger level “necessary and appropriate.”
Defense attorney Loui Itoh argued that an evaluation of Moles is “not necessary and violates his constitutional rights.” Itoh called into question the reliability of the witness statements which she says prosecutors used to determine what Moles “allegedly” said.
In the end, U.S. District County Judge Richard Leon sided with the prosecution, saying some of the alleged “disturbing conduct” shows reasonable cause that Moles might be incompetent to stand trial.
Judge Leon said Moles’ next hearing date will be determined after the competency evaluation.
