Late NFL star’s brother to undergo mental competency test before trial
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SAN JOSE, Calif. — The brother of late NFL star-turned-soldier Pat Tillman will undergo a mental competency test before his trial on arson and vandalism charges, a judge ordered Wednesday.
Richard Tillman, 44, of San Jose, Calif., was arrested after he allegedly rammed a car into a post office in a San Jose strip mall around 3 a.m. Sunday, and set it on fire inside the building, which went up in flames, police said. No injuries were reported.
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During his arraignment Wednesday, his attorney raised doubts about Tillman’s ability to stand trial. The judge ordered a competency test and set bail at $135,000.
Tillman, with a long beard and shoulder-length hair and his hands in handcuffs, waved at television cameras as he entered the courtroom. He told the judge he didn’t want his court-appointed defence attorney, calling him “incompetent.”
He also said he didn’t want to be released on bail.
“I don’t need bail. I don’t have anywhere to live,” he said.
Tillman was booked on suspicion of arson and vandalism. He is also charged with a felony count of possessing combustible materials for the purpose of arson, according to court documents. Tillman allegedly used fire-starter logs and lighter fluid bought from a grocery store to make his car into an incendiary device, the Mercury News reported.
Tillman kept livestreaming a video of the fire on YouTube even as he was being interrogated by a San Jose police officer, the newspaper reported.
After the crash, his brother Kevin Tillman shared a statement from the family who said they were relieved no one was hurt.
“To be clear, it’s no secret that Richard has been battling severe mental health issues for many years,” the family said. “He has been livestreaming, what I’ll call, his altered self on social media for anyone to witness. Unfortunately, securing the proper care and support for him has proven incredibly difficult — or rather, impossible. As a result, none of this is as shocking as it should be.”
Pat Tillman left the Arizona Cardinals to join the military after 9/11 and was killed in Afghanistan in 2004 at age 27. His family is from the San Jose area.
Kevin Tillman also left his Major League Baseball career with the Anaheim Angels to serve in the military.
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