*Mexikaresistance.com note: More  home-grown, right-wing terror.

Arizona officials say a murder suspect who used language reminiscent of that employed by antigovernment “sovereign” citizens during court appearances must undergo a mental competency exam before returning to court, the Arizona Republic reported yesterday.

Michael Lee Crane, 31, of Mesa, Ariz., pleaded not guilty yesterday to three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping, two count of armed robbery, and several counts of arson and theft. He is accused of killing Lawrence and Glenna Shapiro in their home in Paradise Valley, Ariz., home on Jan. 30, then setting fire to the couple’s home in an attempt to conceal the crime.

Crane, who previously served time in prison in Arizona, also has been identified as a suspect in the gunshot murder of Phoenix cigar salesman Bruce Gaudet. Gaudet was found shot to death in his home, which was burned down just a few days before the Shapiros were killed.

An alleged accomplice whose name has not yet been released is also being held in connection with Gaudet’s murder.

Addressing Maricopa County Superior Court Commissioner Brian Rees yesterday, Crane spelled out his name in upper- and lower-case letters. He also spelled out his name at his initial court appearance on Feb. 15 and said he didn’t want court-appointed counsel. Sovereign citizens often wish to act as their own lawyers and frequently punctuate their names in unusual ways, occasionally using all capital letters or hyphens and colons in the mistaken notion that the practice somehow sets them free from government regulation and control.

FULL ARTICLE:  Mental Exam Ordered for Arizona ‘Sovereign’ Double Murder Suspect | Hatewatch | Southern Poverty Law Center.