He's been in and out of mental facilities for years.

He's seen numerous doctors for mental evaluation.

And Tuesday, a man who admitted to the 2006 baseball-bat beating death of 57-year-old Harvey J. Evans may finally have his day in court.

Michael Shane Richardson, 30, of 126 Matson Road, is scheduled to appear in Lowndes County Circuit Court before Judge Jim Kitchens, next week.

Richardson was found to be "paranoid and psychotic," and to exhibit signs of "mild mental retardation," according to reports from Dr. Mark Webb of the Mississippi Neuropsychiatric clinic in Ridgeland. The Mississippi State Hospital in Whitfield on three separate occasions found Richardson competent to stand trial.

While MSH's Dr. R. McMichael said the defendant did "have some genuine symptoms of mild cognitive impairment," he seemed to "grossly exaggerate those symptoms."

Evans died in January 2007 from injuries sustained from Richardson's Sept. 19, 2006 attack.

Richardson turned himself in the day after the beating and confessed to Lowndes County sheriff's investigators he robbed and beat Evans at his 122 Matson Road home.

Richardson went to Evans' residence and asked for a cigarette, investigators reported. When Evans turned, Richardson hit him in head with a baseball bat and stole two wallets containing about $2,500.

Evans' wife was home and saw the suspect after the beating; she was able to identify Richardson, a neighbor.

Richardson had bought drugs and guns with the stolen money and also was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He previously had been sentenced to time in the Mississippi Department of Corrections for 2001 charges of aggravated assault.

Since Richardson committed the murder during a robbery, if found guilty, a jury could impose the death penalty.

Holliman murder trial

Jury selection in Brian Holliman's murder trial also is slated to begin this month in Lowndes County Circuit Court.

Circuit Court Judge Lee Howard will determine whether to hear the case in Columbus or order a change of venue during potential juror interviews. Defense attorney Steve Farese filed a motion for a change of venue in August citing "high public visibility" from intense media coverage of Holliman's case has tainted the jury pool.

Holliman, 28, is charged with the shotgun shooting death of his wife, Laura Lee Godfrey Holliman. Authorities found Laura Holliman dead at the couple's 770 Wolfe Road, Caledonia home, after Brian Holliman reported the death as a suicide. The mother of two was 24.

Jury selection begins Nov. 30.

Reserve officer's rape charges

Columbus reserve police officer Richard Carr, 46, also is scheduled to stand trial in circuit court on Nov. 30. His statutory rape case will go before Kitchens.

Carr was fired from the Columbus Police Department in May after Oktibbeha County officials notified the CPD the officer had been arrested on the sex charges.