SALT LAKE CITY -- A federal court proceeding is under way in Salt Lake city to determine whether the man charged in the 2002 abduction of Elizabeth Smart is competent for trial.
The 10-day hearing for Brian David Mitchell started Monday in U.S. District Court.
A ruling from Judge Dale Kimball is not immediately expected. But the decision will direct how the case moves forward -- either to a trial or toward treatment that could restore Mitchell's competency.
Federal prosecutors contend Mitchell is competent.
Defense attorneys dispute that conclusion and say Mitchell can't defend himself against charges of kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor.
Smart was 14 on June 5, 2002, when she was taken from her home at knifepoint. She was found in March 2003.
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