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Banged-up Berwick falls short against Selinsgrove, 17-6

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Date set for second trial for Helen Galli in poisoning case

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The man who police say opened fire on them in the parking lot of the Wilkes-Barre Township Walmart has been deemed competent to stand trial.</p><p>In a document filed Thursday, Luzerne County Judge David Lupas ruled that Scott Sargent can be prosecuted. Lupas offered no explanation in his filing.</p><p>He set Sargent&#8217;s trial date for Monday, Oct. 16.</p><p>Sargent, 32, is accused of firing off rounds from a semi-automatic rifle fitted with a scope in the Walmart parking lot on Oct. 17, 2015. Bullets struck vehicles and the doors of the store&#8217;s auto center before police shot Sargent in the stomach and disarmed him.</p><p>A competency hearing was held for Sargent on Sept. 7, with two psychological experts disagreeing on the matter of his competency.</p><p>Dr. Richard Fischbein, a Kingston psychiatrist, testified Sargent is &#8220;delusional,&#8221; stating the Shenandoah man believes he is justified in his alleged actions.</p><p>Fischbein testified that through reviewing records and meeting with Sargent, he found he had a family history of psychiatric illness, along with concussions and substance abuse problems that he says contributed to the suspect&#8217;s paranoia.</p><p>Dr. John Sebastian O&#8217;Brien II, who evaluates the competency of defendants in Philadelphia, reached a different conclusion about Sargent. He believes he&#8217;s competent.</p><p>O&#8217;Brien said he saw no indications of psychiatric symptoms, and said Sargent&#8217;s alleged delusions could have been caused by his drug use.</p><p>Sargent is being held at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility on multiple counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, assault of a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and one count each of illegal possession of a firearm and harassment.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Accused Walmart shooter found competent; trial date set