GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (CN) - Four days into a jury trial, a Colorado judge on Friday declared a mistrial due to concerns about the competency of a retired Marine charged with harassing and strangling a reporter in the name of "Trump's America."
"I dream of a day when the mental health services in this state are such that I can recess this trial, get Mr. Egan the help he needs, and pick this up next week," said 21st Judicial District Judge JenniLynn Lawrence.
"Unfortunately we are not in this place in this state or this country. It's going to take months to get Mr. Egan the help he needs to stand trial before this court," concluded Lawrence, who was appointed by Democratic governor Jared Polis.
On Dec. 18, 2024, taxi driver and retired Marine Patrick Egan trailed TV reporter Ja'Ronn Alex 40 miles from Delta, Colorado, to Grand Junction, while demanding the journalist show him proof of citizenship in the name of "Trump's America."
At the news station, Egan tackled Alex to the ground and repeated his demands, even as Alex's coworkers tried to free him from his attacker's grip.
Prosecutors charged Egan with second-degree assault, bias-motivated crime and harassment. Egan pleaded not guilty in August 2025. Public defenders requested several arraignment delays to consult mental health experts.
During the trial, Egan's attorneys argued their client experienced a drug-induced delirium due to the interaction of Benadryl with the other medications his doctor had prescribed, prompting his aggressive pursuit of Alex.
Over three days of testimony and evidence, the jury heard from the news team who witnessed the attack in their parking lot and Grand Junction Police Department officers who investigated the case. On behalf of the defense, the jury heard from friends of Egan who professed shocked at the attack, particularly because he seemed apolitical and leaned toward Democratic views.
Public defender Ruth Swift first requested a mistrial on Thursday after a key witness declined to show up in court. The witness had been a customer of Egan's, and had ridden in his taxi prior to the incident. With the help of a warrant, the witness was found and brought to court Friday morning.
After, Swift raised concerns about her client's competency to continue.
Lawrence agreed, adding that her own observations supported the need to order further evaluation, including comments Egan made while leaving court on Thursday about the make of the clocks in the courthouse.
When videos of the attack were played for the jury, Lawrence found it unusual that Egan appeared amused.
"He was exercising great restraint to not show amusement and I think that directs toward his competency to proceed at this time," Lawrence said.
Victoria Fazzino, deputy attorney for Colorado's 21st Judicial District, did not object to the declaration of mistrial, but raised concerns about whether Egan had been taking medication as prescribed and requested the court to detain him in custody.
After considering Egan's criminal history and the strength of the evidence presented to date, Lawrence ordered him to be detained until his competency evaluation.
Source: Courthouse News Service
