The scene of the Tucson crime scene, where six were murdered and 14 were wounded. Jared Lee Loughner is accused of these crimes (Creative Commons)

Jared Lee Loughner, suspect of the Tucson killings, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday afternoon. 

Loughner is accused of 49 counts, including murder, attempted murder, and using a gun in a crime of violence on January 8, when he opened fire on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and a crowd of bystanders at a grocery store.  He is charged for the killing of six people, including federal judge John Roll, and wounding 14 others, including Giffords.  

Two days prior, federal prosecutors in District Court requested that Loughner, a 22-year-old college dropout, be ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to determine if he is mentally competent to stand trial, reported Reuters. 

District Judge Larry Burns set a May 25 hearing date on Loughner’s competency despite objections from defense lawyer Judy Clarke, who said such a proceeding was premature and could interfere with her ability to build trust with her client.

The Justice Department has opened a review of the case to decide whether to seek the death penalty or life in prison. 

Burns has suggested the trial begin by September 20 of this year, However, defense attorneys have asked that the potential trial date be pushed back to at least January 2013.

On the day of the shooting, Giffords was hosting a “Congress on Your Corner,” a town-hall style meeting outside a Safeway grocery store.  Loughner had reportedly attempted to speak with her before the event, but was told to wait. He came back a few minutes into the meeting, he took out a semi-automatic weapon and opened fire, shooting Giffords in the head and spraying the crowd with bullets, reported Time.

Reach reporter Charlotte Spangler here.

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