A defense lawyer argued Tuesday in Butler County court that his client — because of intellectual disabilities — does not understand the criminal charges against him.

Police charged Kenneth Connor Jr., 35, of Jefferson Township, after he allegedly showed up early in the morning on Aug. 9 at a Saxonburg store wearing a Halloween costume and was armed with a plastic sword. The manager called police because she thought the sword was real.

When police responded, they said Connor allegedly resisted arrest and got into a tussle with them.

But Connor's lawyer, Joseph Kecskemethy, argued Tuesday before Judge William Shaffer that Connor is unable to comprehend the charges against him. Kecskemethy presented testimony from a forensic psychologist.

Connor is charged with a felony aggravated assault, misdemeanors of simple assault and disorderly conduct. He also faces a summary harassment charge.

Kecskemethy called forensic psychologist Bruce Chambers to testify virtually at Tuesday's hearing in the court's determination on Connor's competency. Connor also appeared with his family by video for the hearing.

Connor was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital to undergo a medical evaluation after his arrest, and Chambers said he reviewed the results of that evaluation. Along with IQ tests and other medical evaluations, Chambers evaluated Connor twice in December and found Connor to be incompetent to stand trial.

“He has mental challenges that he's experienced all his life,” Chambers said.

According to Chambers, at the time of arrest, Connor was suffering from a psychotic episode that made him suffer from delusions and possibly even hallucinations. Connor's mother, Kendee Connor, made similar observations during a previous interview with the Butler Eagle.

She said that Connor, whom she calls “a doll baby,” acted unusually restless the day before the incident. She attributed that to his being stuck at home because of COVID-19 and because his recent caregiver had returned to college.

He has lived with his mother all of his life. She said his IQ is 51 or 52, and he cannot live on his own.

Chambers said Connor is taking medications for his condition and has improved over the months.

But something medicine cannot fix, Chambers said, is Connor's IQ and developmental disorders. He also said Connor is on the autism spectrum.

“He cannot understand legal proceedings because of his cognitive limitations,” Chambers said. “His capacity to understand will never get any better.”

Kecskemethy argued that Connor will not understand any legal proceedings in his case and, during Connor's preliminary arraignment, “he was barely able to understand the proceedings.”

In response to Chamber's testimony, Assistant District Attorney Patricia McLean said: “The court has to determine if involuntary treatment would help (Connor) understand.”

But, she noted, “It would be foolish of me to suggest someone's IQ could change.”

Shaffer said he would review the material and make a decision later.

According to police, a manager notified authorities around 7:45 a.m. on Aug. 9 about a man walking around the store property with a sword, police said.

Troopers arrived and saw the suspect, who was later identified as Connor, holding the sword over his shoulder outside the store. The sword at first also looked real to the officers. Police said they later determined it was plastic.

The troopers told the defendant to drop the sword, which he did, police said. But a short time later, after speaking with the officers, he became “very agitated” and started walking to retrieve the sword, according to charging documents.

Two troopers tried to restrain Connor, and the three of them eventually fell to the ground. Police said that was when one of the troopers was injured.

Connor is out on an unsecured $10,000 bond. Kecskemethy told Shaffer that extra locks have been installed in Connor's home to keep him from wandering off.