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by Mike Caswell

A Las Vegas judge has ordered a mental competency evaluation for John Edwards, one of the alleged masterminds of the massive CMKM Diamonds Inc. fraud. There are sufficient questions about his ability to understand the proceedings that such an evaluation is necessary, the judge has ruled. One specialist in the United Kingdom diagnosed Mr. Edwards with dementia in 2012 and another said in 2013 that he would have problems in a case with complex evidence.

With the order, handed down Friday, Oct. 10, Mr. Edwards will go to a Bureau of Prisons facility in California where he will undergo up to 45 days of evaluations by licensed psychiatrists and psychologists. The examiners must prepare a report on their findings, advising if indeed Mr. Edwards is mentally incompetent to the extent that he would not be able to understand the proceedings or to assist in his own defence. The report will likely form a substantial part of the judge's eventual decision on whether or not to try Mr. Edwards. A mental incompetence finding would probably mean that Mr. Edwards, 72, would never face a trial.

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