CHRISTIANSBURG -- Michael Morva, the older brother of the Blacksburg man who was convicted earlier this month of three counts of capital murder, has been ordered to go to a mental facility until he is competent to stand trial.

The 28-year-old faces charges of conspiring to help a prisoner escape custody and possessing marijuana.

He was charged Aug. 20, 2006, after his brother, William Morva, escaped from a deputy's custody at Montgomery Regional Hospital. Morva killed a hospital security guard during his escape early that morning and a Montgomery County deputy the next day before he was captured.

Michael Morva is accused of conspiring with him sometime between Jan. 4, when both were being held in the Montgomery County Jail, and the day of the escape. Morva has said in court that he did not help his brother.

While William Morva has already been convicted of his crimes, the elder Morva has been found incompetent to stand trial, Montgomery County Commonwealth's Attorney Brad Finch said Friday.

Michael Morva's Richmond attorney, Jeffrey Oppleman, had asked at a hearing in March 2007 that a psychiatrist be appointed to determine if Morva was capable of assisting in his own defense.

Morva had a hearing Friday afternoon in Montgomery County Circuit Court, at which Circuit Court Judge Ray Grubbs ordered that he go to Central State Hospital, a state mental facility in Petersburg.

Finch said that evaluations of Morva have determined he is not competent to stand trial at this time, "but it's expected that he may be restorable to competency to stand trial."

He will be taken from the Roanoke City Jail, where he is being held, to the Petersburg facility as soon as there is room for him, Finch said.

The hospital will provide an update on his condition in six months, Finch said.

Then it will be determined whether he is competent, needs more time at the hospital or can't be restored to competency, Finch said.

A tentative court date has been set for Aug. 13 in Montgomery County.