Branford Murder Suspect Declares He is Competent to Stand Trial

Dr. Lishan Wang, who was recently found not competent to stand trial for the alleged murder of a Yale University physician, is disputing that claim in a revealing letter to the New Haven Register.

Wang said “I believe I am competent to stand trial,” adding “I just want the case to move forward without this ‘competency nonsense.’”

In Wang’s letter, he says he doesn’t want to be forced to take antipsychotic medication and seeks to rally support from others who will help him avoid this ‘mental torture,” the Register reports.

Wang was evaluated by a psychiatrist and was found to have a personality or psychological disorder that prevents him from being able to cooperate on his trial.

Superior Court Judge Thomas V. O’Keefe Jr. had also appointed a health-care guardian for Wang, who will recommend whether anti-psychotic drugs, that could restore him to competency, should be given to him without his consent, the Register reported previously. 

Wang is accused of fatally shooting Dr. Vajinder Toor outside of his Branford home in April 2010. He also allegedly shot at, but did not injure, Toor’s then-pregnant wife.

The health-care guardian—Dr. Gail Sicilia—has up to 30 days to file her recommendation on whether to administer the medication to Wang, the Register reported. 

Read the full Register story here.