A Santa Clara County Superior Court judge today ordered a court-appointed doctor to examine whether hate crime defendant Everett Thompson, who is accused of stabbing a Sikh grandfather he wrongly believed to be in the Taliban, is competent enough to stand trial.

The psychiatrist will evaluate Thompson within the next few weeks before returning to court to present the results on Sept. 27, Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Peter Waite said today.

Thompson could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted of the pre-meditated attempted murder and hate crime enhancements he faces. He has not entered a plea.

Prosecutors say Thompson sliced Iqbal Singh's throat as Singh was standing in a carport outside his Santa Clara home on July 30. According to Santa Clara police, Thompson went out that day to kill a member of the Taliban and erroneously assumed Singh belonged to the group because of his full beard and turban. Singh was hospitalized for a few days after the attack but has since been released. [Link]

Tags: Iqbal Singh, hate crime, stabbing, Everett Thompson.