Jared Lee Loughner, suspect in Tucson shooting rampage that wounded Giffords, to attend hearing

Jared Lee Loughner, the Tucson shooting rampage suspect, will attend a court hearing next week in Arizona despite objections from his lawyers on the basis it could pose a risk to his mental health.

Loughner, 23, has been declared mentally incompetent to stand trial on charges he killed six people and wounded 13 others including Arizona Democratic Representative Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson in January, Reuters reports.

Loughner, who pleaded not guilty to 49 charges stemming from the Jan. 8 shooting, has been at a prison facility in Springfield, Missouri, since May, when he was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial.

Experts have concluded Loughner suffers from schizophrenia and, according to the AP "prison officials have forcibly medicated Loughner with psychotropic drugs after concluding he posed a danger at the prison."

(GlobalPost reports: Jared Lee Loughner mugshot disturbs viewers (PHOTO)

According to the AP:

Loughner's lead attorney, Judy Clarke, told the judge she didn't think Loughner can help her advocate against an extension.

"He is on suicide watch. He has been described as gravely disabled. We think it's an unnecessary risk to bring him to a hearing," Clarke said, adding that she saw nothing in the law that requires him to be there.

But U.S. District Judge Larry Burns, in a ruling released Tuesday, agreed with prosecutors that Loughner must attend the hearing.

Meanwhile, the LA Times reports, Loughner wants to travel to his hometown of Tucson for the hearing.

Dr. Christina Pietz, a psychologist treating Loughner, testified that Loughner wanted to attend the hearing and was disappointed when learning that it had been postponed from Wednesday to Sept. 28. She said she believes Loughner has an ulterior motive to be in Tucson.

"He wants to visit his mother and father," Pietz said. "In addition to that, he understands that there is a hearing to make a determination if he can be having an extended stay in Springfield. And that would also mean that he would continue to be medicated."

Pietz believes Loughner's presence at the hearing "would be helpful," the AP reports, as Loughner "has little interaction with other people and travel would stimulate him."

Prosecutors cited a federal law implying that Loughner had a right to be there to confront witnesses.