BERLIN — A 94-year-old man deported from the United States for lying about his Nazi past was released from custody Friday after a German court said it had serious doubts he is fit to stand trial on charges he served as a death camp guard.
The state court in Ellwangen, in southwestern Germany, said in a statement it had concluded that Hans Lipschis was suffering from the onset of dementia, based on two meetings with the suspect and a psychiatric assessment, and that he was easily disoriented.
‘‘It is very likely that the accused can no longer follow a criminal trial of this magnitude, complexity, and length sufficiently and could therefore no longer adequately defend himself against the serious charges,’’ the court said.
It was not clear where Lipschis would go, and his lawyer was not immediately available for comment. Lipschis has been held in a prison hospital.
Though the court still has to formally decide whether to open the trial against him, it said that it was ordering his release from custody because there was ‘‘considerable doubt that the accused is fit to stand trial’’ and thus it is not very likely he would be convicted.