Defendant fit for trial
in attempted police killing

Circuit Judge Virginia Crandall has found Daniel Vesper fit to stand trial for allegedly attempting to kill a police officer last December by running him over with a stolen van.

Crandall based her ruling on the reports submitted by a three-member panel -- two of whom found Vesper, 43, fit to proceed. A third panelist, psychologist Marvin Acklin, noted he could not say whether Vesper was fit because he appeared to be malingering or exaggerating his psychiatric symptoms.

The defense requested an examination after Vesper told his attorney he was hearing voices telling him what to do at the time of the offenses.

Acklin, like the two other panelists, did find that Vesper did not appear to be under any physical or mental disorder that affected his ability to know right and wrong or act according to law at the time of the incident.

Vesper is charged with first-degree attempted murder in the Dec. 2 incident. Officer Jeffrey Omai was among a group of officers attempting to arrest Vesper in the parking lot of Honolulu Community College when Vesper allegedly drove at him, striking him.

Crandall set trial for the week of Oct. 3.