Veteran accused of murder may have PTSD

[unhappycamper]

Veteran accused of murder may have PTSD
The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Nov 8, 2008 17:28:30 EST

GREELEY, Colo. — A psychologist testifying in the first-degree murder trial of an Iraq war veteran said the man suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Ricardo Cortez, 25, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the death of his 21-year-old estranged, pregnant wife, Nikki Fix-Cortez. Prosecutors accuse Cortez of killing her Sept. 16, 2007, with a shotgun because she was leaving him.

Psychologist James Waters, who is in private practice in Boulder, testified Friday that Cortez has post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from a number of issues, including being molested by his father and serving as a medic for two tours of duty in Iraq.

The testimony was countered by Jose Vega, a psychologist with the Colorado Mental Health Institute in Pueblo. Vega interviewed Cortez in September as part of a court-ordered mental health evaluation.

Vega told jurors that some results of tests administered to Cortez indicated that Cortez exaggerated symptoms so much that they should be considered invalid.


Article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/11/ap_ShootingDeath_110808/%2e

[ColbertWatcher]

1. Too many people have suffered because of this war. Thank you for posting. n/t

[TahitiNut]

2. "estranged" and "pregnant"??

Yeow. :crazy:

Speaking from personal experience, nothing I can think of causes the returning veteran's skull circuits to fry as much as a feeling of betrayal.