Rusk, Texas (East Texas News) – A 64-year-old man from Cherokee County, accused of shooting a Jacksonville police officer and her police dog, has been deemed fit to stand trial by a physician, but his defense attorney has asked the court for a second opinion.
Bobby Dennis was scheduled to appear Wednesday afternoon before Judge Chris Day, but the hearing was postponed after defense attorney Stephen Shires argued that Dennis needs another competency exam. Shires stated that a doctor had deemed Dennis fit without having completed a full evaluation.
“Since there was no evaluation, we have decided to seek a second opinion,” Shires said.
After hearing the defense’s testimony, Judge Day stated that the mental competency ruling was based on the opinion of a single doctor and that the court needs more evidence before moving forward.
“We need to give him another chance. I’m going to order another evaluation of the defendant,” Day said.
Dennis faces charges of aggravated attempted murder and two counts of retaliation. He is accused of shooting Jacksonville Police Officer Elyse Hand and her police dog in November 2025. Authorities said Dennis was arrested after a four-day manhunt involving multiple agencies.
Dennis also faces federal weapons charges for allegedly possessing firearms despite being a felon with three prior convictions. If convicted on all counts, Dennis could face a life sentence.
