Jury selection for the Ronald W. Lafferty murder trial will resume Monday unless a 4th District Court judge finds the accused killer mentally incompetent to proceed.
Judge Steven L. Hansen is expected to issue a ruling Monday morning. Lafferty's strange religious beliefs were the subject of a 12-hour competency hearing Thursday. Eight mental-health experts who interviewed the 54-year-old man are split on whether he's delusional. Jury selection was put off for the hearing, which Hansen called after prosecutors attempted to bar Lafferty from the courtroom because of his sometimes disruptive behavior.Lafferty told doctors only he has the power to discern spirits or "travelers" in the courtroom that might exert evil influence over attorneys, witnesses, jurors and the judge. He wards them off by profanely yelling. Lafferty also believes he's the target of a state conspiracy.
Lafferty is accused of slashing the throats of his sister-in-law, Brenda Wright Lafferty, 24, and niece, Eric Lafferty, 18 months, in 1985. He says God ordered the slayings.