Lawmakers: Dangerous Loophole for Those Incompetent to Face Trial

ST. PAUL -- A bipartisan group of Minnesota legislators is sponsoring a bill to plug what they warn is a dangerous loophole in state law.

Senator Jim Abeler from Anoka read names of Minnesotans murdered by people who, before those crimes, were judged incompetent to stand trial for earlier offenses, but were then released:

"We shouldn't be putting people who are incompetent in jail -- and we agree -- but then we shouldn't be having murders happening either."

Democratic Senator Karla Bigham from Cottage Grove says one reason people are being released is that there's a shortage of mental health treatment beds in Minnesota.