JUDGE ORDERS MENTAL EXAM FOR BEYONCE DEATH THREAT SUSPECT

A man accused of sending death threats to stars including JAY-Z and BEYONCE has been ordered to undergo a mental evaluation following his arrest in Detroit, Michigan earlier this week (04Aug09).

Leon Desmond Barrett is alleged to have written more than a dozen letters between December 2006 and April this year (09) and sent them to celebrities including former American footballer Jerome Bettis.

According to police, one of the hand-written notes, dated 18 August, 2007, reads, “I’m getting ready to start killing some more people. Beyonce, Jay-Z, Jerome Bettis and Tune-up Man are the first four people I’m getting ready to kill.”

The 37 year old appeared in court on Wednesday (05Aug09) to face a charge of mailing threatening communications.

U.S. Magistrate Judge R. Steven Whalen ordered Barrett to undergo a mental exam and set a preliminary hearing for 24 August (09), before releasing him on bail.

Barrett, who denies the accusations, has also been instructed not to possess any dangerous weapons or communicate with potential victims in the case.