Judge considers forcing Bellagio robbery suspect to take medication

Nearly a year after Scott Carmitchel was arrested in the robberies of the Bellagio casino and a Las Vegas bank the Kansas felon is still incompetent to stand trial, a federal judge said Tuesday.

Following a closed hearing, U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware continued Carmitchel’s trial indefinitely and set an Aug.3 hearing to determine whether to force him to take medication to improve his mental competency.

Carmitchel, 35, is being held for treatment at a North Carolina medical facility within the federal prison system. The treating physicians recommended the medication.

Carmitchel was ordered to attend Tuesday’s hearing through a video conference at the medical facility, but refused to participate.

In August, a federal magistrate judge had to enter a not guilty plea for Carmitchel, who was non-responsive in court. He refused to answer questions several times, laughing loudly through a spit mask as he sat shackled in a wheelchair next to his public defender. He later was found not competent to stand trial for the first time.

Carmitchel, who is accused of spending stolen money on prostitutes and a shopping spree, is facing one count of interference with commerce by robbery at the Bellagio and one count of armed bank robbery at a City National Bank branch on East Tropicana Avenue.

He’s charged with stealing $43,500 in the Bellagio heist on July 25 and $4,355 in the July 22 bank robbery.

Camitchel originally faced local charges, but the district attorney’s office turned over the case to federal prosecutors.

Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135. Find him on Twitter: @JGermanRJ