07/24/08

BOISE, Idaho (AP) _ A federal judge in Boise has declared
convicted child killer Joseph Edward Duncan III mentally competent.

The ruling handed down Thursday means the sentencing phase of
Duncan's murder and kidnapping case can proceed.

Duncan faces the death penalty on three of 10 federal charges
related to the 2005 kidnapping of young Dylan and Shasta Groene and
the slaying of Dylan. The two were snatched from the Coeur d'Alene
home then taken to the wilderness in western Montana where they
were tortured and abused.

A hearing on whether Duncan should be allowed to serve as his
own attorney during the sentencing phase is scheduled Monday in
Boise.

Earlier this year, Duncan asked U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge
to allow him to represent himself, claiming his attorneys could not
ethically represent his ideologies. After that request, Lodge
suspended the hearing and ordered Duncan to undergo psychiatric
evaluations to determine his mental fitness.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
APNP-07-24-08 1502MDT<