A judge has approved a request to evaluate the mental competency of the man accused of poisoning unpackaged food at grocery stores.
The Ann Arbor judge approved the request by defendant Kyle Bessemer's lawyer on Thursday. The lawyer, Christopher Renna, sought the evaluation for competency and criminal responsibility based on conversations he had with Bessemer and his family.
The FBI says Bessemer admitted to spraying a mixture of hand sanitizer, mouse poison and water on produce and food bars at three local supermarkets: Whole Foods, Meijer and Plum Market. Investigators have said the 29-year-old said he thought someone was trying to poison him.
Bessemer faces food poisoning charges pertaining to alleged incidents at two of the stores.
Shoppers have been encouraged to throw away uneaten food purchased from salad bars and ready-to-eat food areas between mid-March and the end of April.
