Wrap: Federal Judge Larry Burns issued the order Monday for Jared Loughner, who is charged of shooting Congressional Representative Gabrielle Giffords and killing six others in Tuscon, Arizona.

Burns referenced a memo by the Bureau of Prison's Chief of Psychiatry, saying the Springfield prison is more accomodating for mental evaluations than the high-security Tuscon facility Loughner currently is at.

According to a court filing, Loughner's defense attorney Judy Clarke wrote that moving Loughner may worsen his state, as he would not be able to meet with his attorney while in Missouri.

A spokeswoman with the Springfield Bureau of Prisons said the prison has a mental health unit that treats around 300 of the prison's 1,100 inmates until they are well enough to be sent back to their original prisons.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons declined to comment on the transferring of Loughner.

From the Missouri State Capitol, I'm Meghann Mollerus.

Wrap: Federal Judge Larry Burns issued the order Monday for Jared Loughner, who is charged of shooting Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and killing six others.

Springfield Republican Representative Charlie Denison said the transferring of prisoners to Springfield is not unusual.

Wrap: Federal Judge Larry Burns issued the order on Monday, saying an exam has to be conducted at the Springfield facility by April 29.

Burns said the Springfield prison has the most accomodating mental health unit to evaluate Loughner on whether he was sane at the time of the shooting or whether he is sound enough to stand trial.

Loughner's public defender Judy Clarke has argued moving Loughner could make his mental state worse, as he would have no contact with his public defender during his stay in Missouri.

A spokeswoman for the Springfield Bureau of Prisons said the facility's mental health unit evaluates and treats 300 of the 1,100 inmates who are at the prison or are transferred there.

Loughner is accused of killing U.S. District Judge John Roll and Giffords's staffer Gabe Zimmerman, along with four others.

Spokemen for Burns and Clarke did not return calls.

From the Missouri State Capitol, I'm Meghann Mollerus.

Wrap: A federal judge has ordered Jared Loughner sent to the Bureau of Prison's Springfield Institute for an exam in its mental health unit.

Burns said the unit would be better for Loughner than his current Tuscon prison to evaluate whether he was sane at the time of the shootings and whether he can stand trial.

Loughner's public defender, Judy Clarke, issued a court filing saying moving Loughner would make his mental state worse, as he would have no contact with his defense during his stay in Missouri.

A spokeswoman for the Springfield facility said the mental health unit treats around 300 of 1,100 inmates who are at the facility or are transferred there.

From the Missouri State Capitol, I'm Meghann Mollerus.