HONOLULU – The Latest on a mental fitness hearing for a man who fled from a Hawaii psychiatric hospital and flew to California (all times local):
11:15 a.m.
A panel of examiners has found a man mentally fit to proceed to trial after escaping from a Hawaii psychiatric hospital and flying to California.
Randall Saito's defense attorney and a state prosecutor agreed with the panel's findings during a brief hearing Thursday.
Saito was confined to the hospital after he was acquitted by reason of insanity of a woman's 1979 killing. A judge ordered that he go before a panel of examiners to determine whether he can be held criminally responsible for the escape.
He was captured in Stockton, California, in November, days after walking out of Hawaii State Hospital.
Saito's trial is scheduled for June but defense attorney Michael Green says it's likely his client will eventually admit to the escape charge.
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5 a.m.
A court hearing is scheduled on whether a man is mentally fit to proceed with trial for escaping from a Hawaii psychiatric hospital and flying to California.
Randall Saito was confined to the hospital after he was acquitted by reason of insanity of a woman's 1979 killing. A judge ordered that he go before a panel of examiners to determine whether he can be criminally responsible for the escape.
He was captured in Stockton, California, in November, days after walking out of Hawaii State Hospital. He's expected to attend Thursday's hearing, where lawyers will be able to argue about the panel's findings.
Defense attorney Michael Green says he expects that the panel will find Saito fit. Green says it's likely his client will eventually admit to the escape charge.
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