HAWKINS COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) – Gary Simpson, the man accused of kidnapping his 9-year-old niece from her East Tennessee school earlier this month, has been ordered to undergo a mental evaluation.
WKRN News 2 reports Simpson briefly appeared in court Monday afternoon for what was supposed to be a preliminary hearing.
During his appearance, his lawyer officially filed the motion asking for a mental evaluation.
The evaluation, according to his lawyer, is needed to see if “Simpson fully understood the consequences of his alleged actions.”
The judge agreed to his request and reset the preliminary hearing until July 13.
Simpson is accused of checking Carlie Trent out of school on May 4 under false pretenses. An AMBER Alert was issued the following day.
The two were missing for eight days before they were found in a rural part of Hawkins County on May 12.
Trent has since been reunited with her family.
Simpson is charged with especially aggravated kidnapping and custodial interference.
He remains jailed on a $1 million bond.
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