Judge orders mental exam for 1 of '3 Hebrew Boys'

By MEG KINNARD Associated Press Writer COLUMBIA, S.C. A federal magistrate on Monday ordered one of the three South Carolina men accused of scamming $80 million from investors to undergo a mental evaluation to see if he's competent to stand trial. U.S. Magistrate Joseph McCrorey did not decide whether Joseph Brunson would be examined in Columbia or have to report to a federal prison in North Carolina for evaluation, at one point expressing frustration with Brunson's repeated statements that he was not a defendant and not subject to U.S. laws. "If you're trying to convince me that a competency evaluation is not needed, you're not doing a good job," said McCrorey. Brunson, Tony Pough and Timothy McQueen, who called themselves the "3 Hebrew Boys," each face 35 counts of federal mail fraud, as well as state securities fraud... [read full story]