Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Robert Dear, Accused in 2015 Planned Parenthood Attack, Dies in Federal Custody

The decade-long prosecution ends without a trial after courts repeatedly found him incompetent despite forced treatment.

Overview

  • The Federal Bureau of Prisons says Dear, 67, died Nov. 22 at the U.S. medical prison in Springfield, Missouri, and a spokesperson said the cause was natural.
  • A federal judge found in September that involuntary medication begun in April did not restore Dear to competency, and civil-commitment proceedings had been underway.
  • Dear faced a 68-count federal indictment — including 65 FACE Act counts and three firearm counts resulting in death — along with 179 state charges; the Justice Department had previously declined to seek the death penalty.
  • Authorities say the 2015 Colorado Springs attack killed Ke’Arre Stewart, Jennifer Markovsky and police officer Garrett Swasey and wounded nine others during a five-hour standoff.
  • Fourth Judicial District Attorney Michael J. Allen said the victims and community were denied the full measure of justice because the case never reached trial.