A man charged with attempting to bomb a suburban North Texas natural gas pipeline has been found competent to stand trial.
Anson Chi was found competent during a pretrial hearing in Plano on Monday. A psychiatrist with the Federal Bureau of Prisons met with Chi and determined that he is not suffering from any mental defect and can help his defense team.
After court, NBC 5's Kendra Lyn questioned Chi's attorney Brook Busbee.
"You said your client's delusional and now he's competent to stand trial, what's changed?"
"No comment," Busbee replied. "Get out of my way."
Chi, 34, is charged with malicious use of explosive materials, use of a destructive device during a crime and possession of a firearm that was not federally registered.
The charges stem from an incident last June in which a homemade bomb exploded on a natural gas regulator in Plano. The device went off prematurely and caused little damage to the regulator, but critically injured Chi.
Chi is scheduled to return to court May 1.
The Case Against Chi
Federal investigators have been building a case against Anson Chi since identifying him June 22, 2012.
Chi was found severely injured near an Atmos Energy gas line along West Parker Road on June 18, 2012 after an explosion.
He originally told police he was hit by a car, but evidence at the scene indicated he was trying to tamper with the natural gas system when a homemade bomb he was carrying detonated, according to investigators.
Investigators first searched Chi's Plano home in the 3200 block of Anchor Road on June 20 and said they found several explosives.
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An FBI agent testified before a grand jury that a search found significant amounts of chemicals and lab equipment, along with writing bomb instructions, in the Plano home Chi shared with his parents.
Agents also said they seized five unlicensed guns at the home.
Federal prosecutors say Chi had made the bomb, but it exploded prematurely.
Documents filed by Chi's defense attorney, Brook A. Busbee, say her client "has a delusional mindset." She said she believes mental illness has and will keep Chi from properly assisting in his defense.
Busbee asked the court to evaluate Chi's mental competence before a trial begins.
A federal judge ordered a psychiatric evaluation for Chi in September of 2012.
During a pretrial hearing on March 4, a judge found Chi competent to stand trial for his charge.
Chi's Expression Online
In a video posted on YouTube in 2007, Chi expressed anger over having to pay income taxes. Click here to see that video.
Other videos posted on the YouTube account show a video asking about the legally of income taxes, a crowd reaction to what the uploader calls "police brutality," and a Ron Paul rally in Austin.
Chi also self-published a book on Amazon called "Asian Culture Revealed: Yellow on the Outside, Shame on the Inside," where he describes himself as "an author, retired engineer, ex-politician, former model, transgressor, and truthmonger."
Previous Coverage:
- Chi's Attorney Says Client Is Mentally Ill
- Plano Bombing Suspect Pleads Not Guilty
- Plano Bomb Suspect Indicted
- VIDEO: You Tube Video Shows Chi Talking About the Government
- Plano Bomb Suspect Held Without Bond
- Suspect in Gas Bombing Limps Into Court
- FBI: Plano Explosion Suspect Identified
- FBI Returns to Plano Home for Second Time
- Plano Residents Want Answers After Explosion
- FBI Takes Over Plano Explosion Case
- Home Searched in Explosion Investigation
- VIDEO Man Injured by Exploding Device Near Gas Line: Police
NBC 5's Greg Janda, Kendra Lyn, Keaton Fox, and others contributed to this story.
