Man Charged In Boston Marathon Finish Line Bomb Scare Competent To Stand Trial
BOSTON (CBS/AP) — A man arrested near the Boston Marathon finish line carrying a rice cooker in a backpack on the anniversary of the 2013 bombings has been found competent to stand trial.
Kevin Edson, 25, of Wakefield, was charged in April with threatening battery, possession of a hoax explosive device, threats to commit a crime, disturbing the peace, disturbing a public assembly and disorderly conduct.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Bernice Corpuz reports
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He was held on $100,000 bail and sent to Bridgewater State Hospital for a mental health evaluation.
At a hearing in Boston Municipal Court Wednesday, a judge reduced Edson's bail to $50,000 and ordered him to stay on his medication.
Edson cried in court as his attorney argued for the bail reduction.
His mother says Edson has been battling a bipolar disorder.
Edson was stopped April 15 after people told an officer they saw him yelling, walking barefoot down the middle of Boylston Street, veiled in black, in the pouring rain.
The backpack was destroyed but no explosives were found.
Edson's attorney, Shannon Lopez, said Wednesday that her inbox was flooded with emails in support of the Wakefield resident and that multiple doctors say her client is not a danger to himself or others. She said he also has followed doctors' advice and is willing to continue treatment.
(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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