TOLEDO – A motion to determine the competency of admitted Islamic Center arsonist Randolph Linn
has been denied in U.S. District Court, pending a plea withdrawal hearing later this month.According to an
order by Judge Jack Zouhary filed Monday in federal court in Toledo, attorney John Thebes’ motion for the
psychological evaluation has been disallowed. However, the order indicates Thebes may file the motion again
on behalf of his client following a planned March 21 hearing regarding the motion of Linn, 52, St. Joe,
Ind., to withdraw his previous plea of guilty.Linn pleaded in December to federal hate crimes and gun
charges in the Sept. 30 arson at the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo in Perrysburg Township. The site is
still unusable and estimates have placed damages at around $1.5 million.However, Linn wrote a letter to
Zouhary in January to withdraw that plea, saying he was under duress and depressed at the time. Thebes later
filed a successful motion to withdraw that letter and filed a formal motion, stating that Linn’s mental
state and competence had not been taken into consideration during the proceedings, and that statements made
by Linn in December “reflect the jumbled mind of (Linn) at the time of the offense and seriously call into
question the fact that no motions were filed regarding insanity and/or competence to stand trial.”Barring
additional court action, Linn is to be sentenced April 16 for the crimes, including 20 years in prison and
an unannounced financial penalty.