Texas Woman Competent For Trial after Sending Poisonous Letter to Obama

Texas woman Shannon Richardson was proclaimed competent for trial Wednesday, says the Washington Post.

The 35-year old actress was arrested June this year after reportedly sending a total of three ricin-laden letters to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the head of Bloomberg's gun control group and President Barack Obama. Richardson was charged with two counts of mailing a threatening communication and one count of making a threat against the president of the United States, reports CBS News.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ricin is a poison naturally found in castor beans. It can come in the form of powder, mist or pellet. Skin and eye exposure to ricin may cause redness and pain. Inhaling ricin may cause respiratory distress and eventually, respiratory failure. Ingestion will lead to vomiting, diarrhea, severe dehydration and even death.

With the request of Richardson's lawyer Tonda Curry, she was ordered to undergo a psychological exam by US Magistrate Judge Caroline Craven. According to Curry, his client "displayed behavior that raised questions about whether she could help in her own defense."

Richardson's husband, Nathan, an Army veteran was initially the suspect of the deed. She even contacted FBI to tell on her husband, says CBS News. However, polygraph exam failures and inconsistencies in her story led investigators to suspect her.

Eventually, Richardson admitted to the deed but claimed that her husband "forced" her to do it. She also pleaded not guilty on all three counts charged against her.

Shannon Richardson, who goes by the name of "Shannon Guess," starred in minor roles on television shows like "The Walking Dead" and "The Vampire Diaries."

She was married to two other men before her marriage with Nathan Richardson in 2011. She has five children from other relationships with ages ranging from 4 to 19. Nathan Richardson has already filed for divorce early June this year.