Albrecht Muth recently re-initiated a hunger strike while undergoing psychiatric evaluation at St. Elizabeths. His fasting has resulted in his being admitted to the United Medical Center on three occasions and now St. Elizabeths has requested additional time to provide a report of his competence to stand trial because of his condition. 

Muth is charged with first-degree murder in the August 2011 homicide of his wife Viola Drath in her Georgetown home.

At Muth's fourth and most recent competency hearing in July D.C. Superior Court Judge Russel F. Canan granted the hospital an additional four weeks to determine Muth's competency. Now in a letter dated Aug. 21, St. Elizabeths requested an extension to Sept. 4, two days before Muth's next scheduled hearing.

Canan advises both the defense and the prosecution that he was inclined to grant the extension, but that they have until Aug. 27 to object.

Though Muth's trial is tentatively scheduled for October, his attorneys have repeatedly argued that another date will be necessary.

In July public defender Dana Page told the court, "There is absolutely no way we could be prepared for a trial this complicated in that short amount of time."

The next court meeting for Muth's case is Sept. 6.