Judge: Voting machine tampering suspect is incompetent

By COLLEEN SLEVIN
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — A man accused of tampering with a voting machine during Colorado’s primary election is mentally incompetent and cannot continue with court proceedings, a judge has ruled. At the request of Richard Patton’s lawyer and prosecutors, Judge William Alexander on Thursday also ordered that Patton undergo outpatient mental health treatment in hopes of making him well enough so he can be prosecuted. To be considered legally competent to proceed, people accused of crimes must be deemed able to understand proceedings and help in their own defense by being able to communicate with their lawyers. Tampering with voting equipment is now a felony in Colorado punishable by up to three years in prison.