Harvest Bible Chapel founder James MacDonald gained't discover out till June 4 whether or not a psychological well being diversion program for his recognized PTSD will enable him to keep away from a doable seven-year jail sentence for allegedly assaulting a 59-year-old lady. final March in a California car parking zone.
San Diego Superior Court docket Decide Enrique Camarena mentioned the prosecution requested for a continuance Wednesday to have a psychological well being skilled consider MacDonald's declare, The Roys Report reported.
Camarena additionally famous that MacDonald's legal professionals didn’t have a remedy plan for his PTSD, which was brought on by a report by Christian investigative journalist Julia Roys, to current to the court docket.
The court docket dominated final October that MacDonald was eligible for the psychological well being diversion program primarily based on a prima facie exhibiting from his legal professionals that he was a match and correct candidate for this system.
Dr. Shannae Anderson, the scientific psychologist who recognized McDonald's PTSD, mentioned his felony assault and assault on Barbara Bass in March 2023 was brought on by his PTSD, which was first recognized in 2020 and solely lately in 2023.
San Diego County Superior Court docket Decide Carlos Varela mentioned MacDonald, 63, was a loyal husband, father and grandfather earlier than the assault on Bass, which Assistant District Legal professional Alexis Lampre mentioned left the girl hospitalized for 21 days. no file, no legal historical past.”
He mentioned that though MacDonald was ousted as senior pastor of his as soon as 15,000-member, multi-campus church in 2019 and accused of being a thug who as soon as tried to rent a hitman to commit homicide, MacDonald “mainly did every thing.” . fact and was a sufferer of his church and critics.
She learn from a report that Dr. Anderson submitted to the court docket, she mentioned Roys' report was a part of the explanation MacDonald developed PTSD and his assault on Bass was “a perform of PTSD”.
“The examiner's skilled opinion is that James' response is a perform of PTSD. And he's speaking about his response to the alleged offense or his response when that incident occurred. As soon as the girl within the automotive in entrance of him received out of the automotive.” and moved towards him in an offended and agitated state, years of traumatic recollections of being humiliated by Julie Roys got here flooding again and triggered a combat or flight response,” Anderson's report states. “Feeling helpless and misunderstood and basically trapped in his truck, he received out of the automobile to defend himself towards his accuser.”
Roys wrote Wednesday that MacDonald's alleged PTSD “is a bit too handy,” and her suspicions had been confirmed this week when the previous megachurch pastor invited her to fulfill by way of his legal professional this week.
“Within the textual content, my lawyer wrote: 'I simply spoke with MacDonald's lawyer. His shopper suggests 2 conferences: The primary assembly shall be off the file for the two of you to take a seat down and see if you’re on the identical web page. The second assembly shall be recorded, however you may ask questions,” Roys wrote.
“Apparently MacDonald thinks he has some proof to persuade me of his innocence in some respect. However the time for the interview was years in the past once I was looking for remark from MacDonald for articles I used to be writing,” she defined.
“MacDonald claims I triggered his PTSD, however he's inviting me to not one however two one-on-one conferences! Both he's a glutton for punishment or he's mendacity about his PTSD. Based mostly on MacDonald's previous habits, I'm leaning in the direction of the latter,” Roys added. “In any case, I don't wish to be in the identical room with a person who claims he can assault a girl with impunity.”
Contact: leonardo.blair@christianpost.com Observe Leonard Blair on Twitter: @lebloir Observe Leonard Blair on Fb: LeoBlairChristianPost
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