'Unabomber' trial judge clears hurdle

Lawyers for Theodore Kaczynski, the man accused of being the "Unabomber" said in a Californian court yesterday that he was competent to stand trial, and the prosecution agreed.

The defence and prosecution both said that they accepted the conclusions of federal psychiatrist Sally Johnson, whose 47-page report said she found Mr Kaczynski met the standard for mental competency to stand trial.

Both the government and Mr Kaczynski's current lawyers agreed that the defendant met the standards for trial - that he understands what is happening and is capable of assisting his lawyers in his defence.

But there remains a deep rift between Mr Kaczynski and his lawyers, who want to mount a defence based on his mental state, something he has adamantly opposed.

The one-time university mathematics professor, who became a hermit in the Montana mountains, is accused of waging a 17-year nationwide bombing campaign that killed three men and injured or maimed 29 other people.

The defence attorney Quin Denvir told the court that the lawyers were "prepared to stipulate he is competent to stand trial" after reading Dr Johnson's report over the weekend.

Judge Garland Burrell was continuing the hearing in Sacramento to discuss defence and prosecution motions in an effort to continue the trial, which has been delayed since 5 January. The question of Mr Kaczynski's competence was triggered by his request to serve as his own attorney, which he made after the judge turned down his request to sack his court-appointed attorneys, Quin Denvir and Judy Clarke, and hire the San Francisco attorney Tony Serra.

The request, on 8 January, halted the trial as opening statements were to begin. That day, it was also revealed that the defendant had tried to kill himself in his cell the night before by hanging himself with his underwear.

Judge Burrell ordered a competency examination, which Mr Kaczynski underwent last week. Dr Sally Johnson, a federal prison psychiatrist, presented her findings to the court last Saturday.

- Reuters, Sacramento