Judge rules man accused of trying to open jet’s door, attacking crew, not competent for trial

A man charged with attacking a flight attendant with a broken metal spoon and attempting to open an airliner’s emergency door on a cross-country flight in March is not currently competent to stand trial, a federal judge ruled. Magistrate Judge Judith Dein, basing her decision on a mental health evaluation of Francisco Severo Torres and her own observations in court, determined Wednesday that further treatment is warranted, according to court records. “The Court hereby finds ... that the defendant is presently suffering from a mental disease or defect rendering him mentally incompetent to the extent that he is unable to understand the nature and consequences of the proceedings against him or to assist properly in his defense,” Dein wrote in her decision. She also wrote that she denied a request by Torres to be freed so he could “further investigate the conspiracy which eventually led to his actions on the plane.” Torres, of Leominster, Massachusetts, is charged with a felony related to using a dangerous weapon to interfere with flight crew members in the incident on United Airlines Flight 2609 from Los Angeles to Boston on March 5. The evaluation was conducted at the Federal Medical Center in Devens, Massachusetts, where he was sent after an initial court appearance days after the attack. He has not entered a plea. Torres’ attorney said in court Wednesday that he has no evidence in opposition to the evaluation’s findings, but told Dein that his client objects to the finding and asserts he is competent to stand trial, according to court records. The defense attorney requested that his client remain at FMC Devens.<br/>