Evaluation Ordered For Man In Standoff Held Police At Bay 2 Days To Protect Pet Rats

Robert Dorton, who was involved in a two-day standoff with Billings police last week to protect his pet rats, was ordered Wednesday to undergo a mental evaluation.

District Judge Diane Barz did not allow prosecutors to formally charge Dorton in District Court and Dorton did not enter a plea, pending results of his examination.

Last week, Dorton was charged in Justice Court with two counts of attempted murder and one count of criminal endangerment for shooting at police officers during the standoff.

Barz ordered the mental testing after public defender Sandy Selvey said Dorton did not understand the nature of the charges against him or the legal proceeding and was not competent to proceed.

During his brief court appearance, Dorton made an obscene comment to Deputy Yellowstone County Attorney Dan Schwarz and unleashed a string of expletives.

Dorton held police at bay with gunfire and a barricaded motel room door for two days to prevent them from confiscating his rats. During the 30 hours police fired pepper spray into the room and blasted it with thousands of gallons of water from a water cannon, but Dorton did not budge.

Six of Dorton’s rats survived the ordeal.