TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) _ A federal judge isn’t allowing a former Marine to withdraw his guilty plea to starting a fire at a mosque in Ohio.
The judge in Toledo rejected the request by Randy Linn, of St. Joe, Ind. on Thursday.
Linn says he was in an emotional state when he pleaded guilty to hate crime charges. His attorney asked the judge to throw out the plea so the 52-year-old Linn could undergo a competency exam.
Prosecutors opposed the request, saying Linn made it clear he knew what he was doing.
Linn said he set the fire at The Islamic Center of Greater Toledo last fall because he wanted revenge for the killings of American soldiers overseas.
A deal between prosecutors and Linn calls for him to receive a 20-year sentence.
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