Pride Parade attacker sent to psychiatric evaluation
Shlissel continues rejecting services of public defender; police presents documents and past reports on suspect's mental state, showing he was fit to stand trial.
Yishai Shlissel, who is suspected of murdering 16-year-old Shira Banki at this year's Pride Parade in Jerusalem, will be sent to a psychiatric evaluation, the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court ordered on Wednesday.
The evaluation will determine whether Shlissel, who is also suspected of five attempted murders, is fit to stand trial and whether he was responsible for his actions while stabbing the marchers at the pride parade.
Shlissel, who was recently released after spending 10 years in prison for stabbing three people in the 2005 Jerusalem Pride Parade, showed no emotion as he sat at court, refusing to answer journalists' questions.
A representative from the Public Attorney's Office said he spoke to Shlissel before the court hearing, but Shlissel maintains his refusal for representation from the state and refuses to cooperate.
When Judge Anat Singer asked Shlissel how he wanted to be represented, he responded: "You have no authority to judge me because it's not according to the laws of Torah, and that is why I have no intention of playing a part in this illegal charade."
A police representative said Shlissel was sane throughout his sentence over the past decade. He also presented documents from the Prisons Service and past reports on Shlissel's mental state that determined he was fit to stand trial.
The psychiatric evaluation will take place within the next 48 hours and its results will be presented to the court until next Tuesday.
