Psychiatric tests continue on Ford

Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2004 | 8:50 a.m.

The former NFL player accused of shooting at the home of entertainers Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn is still undergoing psychiatric evaluation, a judge was told Monday.

Justice of the Peace James Bixler agreed to schedule the preliminary hearing for Cole Ford for Dec. 17 with the understanding both the prosecution and defense are involved in negotiations.

Assistant Public Defender Daren Richards said he is "working on all kinds of things" with Deputy District Attorney Marc DiGiacomo, but said the major issue continues to be Ford's competency to stand trial.

Richards said he is still waiting on the results of psychiatric evaluations. For the meantime he felt setting a preliminary date was important because he didn't want Ford, 31, to continue to "languish" at the Clark County Detention Center.

DiGiacomo refused to comment on the case.

Ford was arrested Nov. 2 at a Las Vegas copy shop in connection with the shotgun blasts fired Sept. 21, allegedly from the white minivan Ford owns.

No one was hurt in the shooting, but windows were shattered and walls of the famed illusionists' home were damaged.

Ford faces six felony warrant charges of discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle and two felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon.

Police said they had not determined a motive for the crime.

Ford said nothing Monday as he stood before the judge in a blue jail jumpsuit with his wrists shackled at his waist.

"We're not admitting anything," Richards said later.

Ford, a former placekicker for the Oakland Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers, could face up to 27 years in prison if convicted of all charges.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.