BY BEN L. KAUFMAN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Edgar F. Bradley was so uncooperative that psychologist Nancy Schmidtgoessling said Friday that she could not determine whether he is competent to face trial on tax fraud charges.
Competence requires Mr. Bradley to understand the charges and consequences of his prosecution and to be able to assist his court-appointed attorney or defend himself.
"Sometimes he completely loses you in conversation," she told U.S. District Judge Herman J. Weber.
When Mr. Bradley responded to questions, she said, he sometimes was illogical and rambling, "but I don't know the cause."
She said it could be a serious mental defect, or it could be his unconventional political views.
When Mr. Bradley objected in court and asked Dr. Schmidtgoess- ling, "In an insane world, would a sane man be considered insane?" the judge told her not to answer.
Even though her interview with Mr. Bradley lasted only a few hours, Dr. Schmidtgoessling said, she was sure Mr. Bradley was not faking.
Mr. Bradley, 66, of Madeira, says he does not recognize the validity of the federal laws under which he is charged.
Prosecutors raised the competence question when Mr. Bradley claimed he could not understand the language of the indictment and court.
Mr. Bradley and two sons are charged with failing to file federal tax returns and using trusts to hide their income and assets. Edgar F. Bradley II and Roy Claudius Bradley echo their father's political and legal positions, but only the elder Mr. Bradley's competence is in question.
Court-appointed attorneys entered not guilty pleas for all three, despite the Bradleys' objections that the lawyers did not represent them.
Dr. Schmidtgoessling evaluated Mr. Bradley at Judge Weber's request.
Previously, Mr. Bradley saw another psychologist, Douglas Reed, who was not in court. Judge Weber left the competency question open and said he wanted Dr. Reed in court July 31 to answer questions about his outpatient evaluation of Mr. Bradley.
If Judge Weber remains uncertain about Mr. Bradley's competence after Dr. Reed's testimony July 31, he can send Mr. Bradley to a federal medical facility for long-term evaluation.
Until the competency question is answered, no trial date for the trio can be set, and the Bradleys remain free on bond.
