Emanuel Doll, the Broomfield man accused of murdering his nephew with an ax, sat silently in court Thursday afternoon as expert witnesses testified about why they thought he is incompetent to stand trial.

Public Defender Kathryn Herold called three witnesses on the first day of Doll’s two-day competency hearing, spending the majority of the time questioning Dr. Scott Walmer, a forensic psychiatrist with Parkview Medical Center.

Walmer said he had concluded Doll has schizophrenia, that delusions are a symptom of that illness and that he cannot assist in his own defense.

Some of Doll’s statements — including assertions that his sperm was stolen and as a result his nephew was actually his son, and that the FBI was spying on him — helped him arrive at his conclusion, Walmer said.

Walmer told Judge Michael Goodbee that Doll understands the court proceedings, but that some of his explanations are illogical, including his desire to enter a plea of self-defense.

Doll, 25, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder. He was arrested April 27 after Broomfield police responded to calls from a home at 4221 W. 136th Ave., where investigators found 4-year-old Jace Emanuel Higginbotham in the basement with a “massive amount of trauma.” A bloodied ax was laying near his body.

Doll’s competency hearing is expected to resume at 10 a.m. Friday.

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