A Schuylkill County judge has given a third order to perform a mental health evaluation on John Liptok to see if he’s fit to stand trial.
Liptok, 60, of Pottsville, is facing felony charges of making bomb threats, making terroristic threats, and unlawful gun possession following a standoff in the city back in August 2023.
On Aug. 8, 2023, according to court documents, police in Pottsville arrived at Liptok’s residence to serve a bench warrant. After initially refusing to answer the door, Liptok allegedly opened a side door to his home holding what appeared to be a grenade.
An area surrounding Liptok’s home was evacuated for fear there might be an explosion.
Liptok has been in jail since April 2024 awaiting trial on these charges.
On Thursday, he appeared in person in Courtroom 5 at Schuylkill County Courthouse as attorneys on either side of the case, along with Judge Christina Hale, worked to get a mental health evaluation completed.
Liptok said nothing during his appearance on Thursday. He only constantly wheeled back and forth in his wheelchair and sat silently while staring out a window of the courtroom for about 45 minutes. That’s in contrast to previous recent court appearances, where he’s mostly been ornery and curt in responses.
Hale said she’s ordered mental health evaluations on Liptok twice in the past but for some reason, they weren’t completed. They were supposed to be done at State Correctional Institutes at Waymart and Benner.
At SCI-Benner, it was revealed on Thursday, they did not and would not complete Liptok’s evaluation.
“Somebody’s got to make sure these orders are followed,” Hale said.
Attorneys in the case agreed to allow forensic psychologist David O’Connell to perform the evaluation this time.
Liptok is being housed temporarily at SCI-Mahanoy while that evaluation is completed and will be returned to SCI-Benner afterward.
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