HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. (AP) — Lawyers for a University of North Carolina graduate student accused of killing his academic advisor said in court Tuesday that a doctor determined their client was not competent to continue with the judgment.
Tailei Qi’s defense attorneys told Superior Court Judge Allen Baddour that they plan to file a motion challenging Qi’s ability to proceed. Meanwhile, the judge granted a request from prosecutors for a separate competency evaluation.
Qi is accused of killing Dr. Zijie Yan inside a campus laboratory on August 28. Police were alerted when a 911 caller reported shots fired at Caudill Labs. Qi was not in the building when officers arrived shortly after.
Police arrested the Chapel Hill resident without force off campus less than two hours after the shooting. He is being held without bail on charges of first-degree murder and carrying a weapon on educational property.
The attack and hours-long lockdown terrified students and faculty who had just returned to campus for the start of the fall semester.
At Tuesday’s hearing, Qi spoke several times, including asking for new attorneys, WTVD-TV reported.
Superior Court Judge Allen Baddour advised Qi to remain silent.
“I don’t want you to say anything else today. What I want you to know is that you have two attorneys at your side who are willing to work for you and with you, and what they need from you is your cooperation and your help,” Baddour said.
The campus of the state’s main public university was closed again last week over reports of an armed and dangerous person. No shots were fired and an arrest was made.
