Shane James Jr. wants to represent himself in Texas massacre trial

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — Shane James Jr., who is accused of a deadly shooting spree that left six people dead in San Antonio and Austin last year, said in Travis County court Friday that he plans to represent himself.

James, who is charged with four capital crimes, expressed his dissatisfaction with his defense attorney's request for an evaluation of his mental competence.

The judge said it was “absolutely his right” to represent himself, but added that regardless of who represented him, a suitability test would be required.

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If convicted, James, 35, could face the death penalty. He is accused of killing his parents near San Antonio before traveling to Austin, where he is accused of killing four more people and injuring two police officers and a cyclist in December.

This development follows James' first pretrial hearing in April, where his lawyers pointed out the complexity of the case because the evidence was spread across two counties. His attorney, Russ Hunt Jr., mentioned at the time that a psychological evaluation would likely be part of the proceedings.

The next hearing is scheduled for October 10 to review the results of the suitability test and reevaluate James' request for self-representation.