Navy Vet Faces Arson Trial, Mental Health at Center

0:00A 61-year-old Santa Clara woman, Denise Irene Roberts, just got ordered to stand trial for Arsene after allegedly torching religious displays at a Novato Church. Judge Kelly Simmons nicks the haycrime charge on April 6, saying prosecutors lacked enough proof, so Roberts now faces up to six years in prison. If convicted, down from a possible nine, Roberts pleaded not guilty of Friday's hearing, and her public defender Jeff Mitchell laid out the stakes right there in court. These a Navy veteran, arrested back in July for burning an activity scene and other items outside Christ Church North Bay, cops pointed to her religious delusions as a factor, and now mental health is front and center in her defense. Mitchell's pushing hard to get her released into veteran's administration custody for treatment instead of jail time. The case rolls on with the next hearing set for May 5, leaving everyone watching how her veteran status and health needs shake out in the end. That wraps California news today, brought to you with AI.

1:01I'm Corey with the story.