http://www.franklincase.org/2-11-91PagesinFranklin.htm
Feb. 7, 1990: U.S. Magistrate Richard Kopf ordered Lawrence E. King Jr. to undergo a mental competency exam to determine whether he was fit to stand trial. King was taken to a federal medical facility in Springfield, Mo.
March 19, 1990: Lawrence E. King Jr. was returned to Omaha after a 40-day stay at the federal medical facility in Springfield. U.S. Magistrate Richard Kopf ordered him held without bail until a hearing could be held on his mental competency. Two psychiatric evaluations indicated King was incapable of cooperating with his attorneys.
...March 30, 1990: U.S. Magistrate Richard Kopf made a preliminary decision that King was mentally incompetent to stand trial. He recommended to U.S. District Judge William Cambridge that King be taken to the U.S. Medical Facility at Rochester, Minn., for treatment. April 4, 1990: U.S. District Judge William Cambridge ruled King was mentally incompetent to stand trial. King was immediately taken to the Rochester federal facility.
Aug. 29, 1990: Lawrence E. King Jr., diagnosed by government psychiatrists as recovered enough from a mental disorder to assist in defending himself against criminal charges, returned to Omaha after being released from the federal medical facility at Rochester, Minn.
Oct. 24, 1990: At a federal court hearing, Lawrence E. King Jr. said he was competent to stand trial. Prosecutors agreed with King. But King's court-appointed attorneys said there were questions about King's mental condition that might make it difficult for him to go to trial.
Dec. 7, 1990: U.S. District Judge William Cambridge ruled that Lawrence E. King Jr. was mentally competent to stand trial on 40 criminal charges stemming from Franklin's 1988 failure, upholding a recommendation made by U.S. Magistrate Richard Kopf.
I guess I find it hard to believe that he was so mentally incometent that he couldn't stand trail. And I also find it hard to believe that he "recoverd" enough at Rochester, after the Springfield, Missouri facility had said earlier that he wasn't. Rochester most likely just didn't buy the "incompetence" diagnosis. It would be interesting to see the paperwork. I could swear that there have been other times I've heard of that Springfield facility, but not connected with this Franklin conspiracy.
It would also be interesting to see more about this U.S. District Judge William Cambridge.