Albrecht Muth Eating Again, Back in DC Jail

Georgetown murder defendant Albrecht Muth is eating consistently again and was recently discharged from United Medical Center and returned to D.C. jail, according to a May 1 email now in court records.

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

Muth's trial for the murder of his late wife had been set to begin in March, but his on-again, off-again hunger strike rendered him incapable of standing, or even sitting up. Doctors told the court on several occasions that Muth was at "imminent risk of death."

The court determined that Muth would be unable to appear in court, though on April 25, D.C. Superior Court Judge Russell F. Canan said he wanted to proceed to trial with or without the physical presence of defendant Albrecht Muth. He argued that a video feed or teleconference allowing Muth to hear the proceedings could be legally sufficient for presence since Muth had orchestrated his own absence.

Canan argued that Muth's fast and inability to appear physically in court, "Conceivably could go on indefinitely. It just cannot be that way."

He advised Muth to stop his disruptive fast and to choose to be present in court for his trial.

Some time after the April 25 hearing, Muth began eating again and was deemed sufficiently health by doctors at UMC to return to the D.C. jail.

"He has been eating though stating today, May 1, is to begin fasting again," according to an email from Dr. Diana Lapp of UMC.

After receiviung notice of Muth's status on May 1, Canan set a status hearing for Oct. 17 and a back up trial date of Jan. 6. The current trial date is Dec. 2.

Read more on the Albrecht Muth proceedings:

• Judge in Georgetown Murder Case Wants Trial to Proceed
• Drath Family 'Will Wait as Long as it Takes for Justice'
• Doctor: Albrecht Muth Faces 'Imminent Risk of Sudden Death'