Temple-plot defendant, apparently sleeping, rouses to say he wants to be at his NYC trial

Defendant awakens, says he wants to be at NY trial

NEW YORK — A defendant who appeared to be sleeping at his trial on terrorism charges has told the court that he does, indeed, want to be there.

Laguerre Payen (lah-GAYR’ PAY’-en) spoke just as a judge was about to eject him from Manhattan federal court on Wednesday.

He’s accused with three others of plotting to blow up New York City synagogues and shoot down military planes.

Judge Colleen McMahon warned Payen that she would exclude him from his trial if he did not respond to her questions about whether he wanted to be there.

On Tuesday, she concluded that he was faking a mental illness. A prison psychologist called his claim of hallucinations “very unlikely.”