Texas teen charged in 2018 mass shooting to get psych evaluation

The Associated Press

5 years ago

FILE - In this Feb. 25, 2019 file photo, Dimitrios Pagourtzis is escorted by Galveston County S ... — FILE – In this Feb. 25, 2019 file photo, Dimitrios Pagourtzis is escorted by Galveston County Sheriff’s Office deputies into the jury assembly room for a change of venue hearing at the Galveston County Courthouse in Galveston, Texas. A judge in Texas has ordered another mental evaluation for the former Santa Fe High School student accused of opening fire on campus in a 2018 attack that left 10 people dead and 13 wounded. (Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News via AP, Pool, File)

SANTE FE, Texas — A judge has ordered a third psychiatric examination of a teenager charged in a mass shooting at a Texas high school last year to help determine whether the former student is mentally competent to stand trial.

Dimitrios Pagourtzis is charged with capital murder in the May 2018 Santa Fe High School attack that left 10 people dead and 13 wounded.

District Court Judge John Ellisor on Tuesday ordered psychiatrist Dr. Victor Scarano to complete an examination of Pagourtzis, The Galveston County Daily News reported. Scarano was hired by the district attorney’s office.

Pagourtzis’ defense team and a court-ordered independent psychologist, Karen Gollaher, have already finished their evaluations of the teen.

Pagourtzis’ attorney Nick Poehl declined to comment, citing a gag order issued Tuesday.

Poehl argued in August that Pagourtzis’ mental health had deteriorated since his arrest and that he had no understanding of the legal proceedings.

No competency hearing has been ordered. The next pre-trial conference is scheduled for December.

The trial scheduled for next year has been moved to Fort Bend County, 45 miles from Galveston County — where the attack happened — because of intense publicity.

Court records show Pagourtzis also faces federal charges.