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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The same two experts who initially differed whether Brian David Mitchell was competent to stand trial in the alleged kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart will try to conduct a second round of interviews.
Third District Judge Judith Atherton yesterday assigned doctors Noel Gardner and Stephen Golding to evaluate Brian David Mitchell at the county jail.
The two court-appointed experts last year could not agree on the issue of his competency.
Mitchell had refused to cooperate with them, so they reached their conclusions by talking to Mitchell's friends and family.
In August, Atherton ruled Mitchell was competent to stand trial after the defense waived a scheduled three-day preliminary hearing.
But Atherton ordered a new competency hearing for Mitchell last week after the former street preacher began singing a Christmas hymn during a court appearance.
(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
