HILLSBOROUGH - In preparation for their trials this spring, suspects in three high-profile cases will undergo psychiatric evaluation to determine whether they're competent to stand trial.

On Friday, Superior Court Judge Allen Baddour ordered inpatient assessments and forensic psychiatric evaluations for Mohammed Taheri-Azar and Alvaro Castillo and said he intends to do the same for Louis Wilson, accused of raping and killing Tracy Lynn Baldwin in Chatham County last spring.

Public Defender James E. Williams has already announced his intention to offer defenses of insanity, mental infirmity or diminished capacity for Taheri-Azar, accused of driving a rented SUV into a crowd of people at UNC-Chapel Hill two years ago; and Castillo, accused of killing his father and opening fire at Orange High School in August 2006.

Williams persuaded Baddour to keep the results of Wilson's evaluation from prosecutors unless Williams pursues an insanity defense for him, as with the others.

Taheri-Azar's demeanor in court appearances has been unpredictable: He has quietly read the Quran, and politely asked to represent himself and to fire his court-appointed attorney. Once, he was led out of the courtroom after calling his attorney a moron and saying he hated Americans and Jews.

District Attorney James Woodall has said he believes Taheri-Azar is competent for court proceedings.

Castillo was committed to a local mental health facility in April 2006, months before the murder. His parents reported he was suicidal, and two days after his commitment, his friend received a video in the mail of Castillo sharing thoughts of killing himself.

The friend also said Castillo's journal contained words of admiration for the shooters in the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School near Littleton, Colo.