Suspect in Oklahoma pipe bomb case ruled competent for trial

A man accused of detonating a pipe bomb outside an Oklahoma military recruiting station has been found competent to stand trial.

Federal court records show the ruling was handed down Tuesday for 29-year-old Benjamin Roden. The former Air Force senior airman was indicted after a pipe bomb exploded in front of an unoccupied Air Force recruiting station near Tulsa on July 10, 2017.

A federal judge ruled that a forensic evaluation conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons indicated that Roden understands the nature of the charges he faces, including destruction of federal property.

Roden has pleaded not guilty. He was ordered to undergo a mental evaluation after defense attorneys questioned whether he could assist in his own defense. He has been required to take antipsychotic medication.