Aaron Thomas, the suspect in the East Coast Rapist case, had a hearing scheduled for Wednesday postponed after his lawyer requested a court-ordered mental exam.

The Washington Post reports that Ronald Fahy, Thomas's court-appointed attorney, said in a motion that Thomas has engaged in self-destructive behavior and refuses to communicate with him. Thomas had been scheduled to appear in a Prince William County courtroom Wednesday. The hearing has been rescheduled for March 1.

Thomas is suspected of attacking on 17 women across the East Coast since 1997, including an attack on three teenagers in 2009 in Dale City. He was arrested in March at his home in New Haven, Conn. and later extradited to Prince William County to face charges for the Dale City attack. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.