FILE – In this undated file photo, actress Shannon Richardson poses for a photo, in Texarkana, Texas. U.S. Magistrate Judge Caroline Craven on Thursday, June 20, 2013, ordered that Richardson undergo a psychological evaluation after her court-appointed attorney, Tonda Curry, requested it. Curry said in a court motion that she had observed “a pattern of behavior” that made her wonder if Richardson can assist with her defense.TEXARKANA, Texas – A federal judge Thursday ordered a psychological exam for the Texas woman accused of sending ricin-laced letters to President Barack Obama and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg in an attempt to frame her estranged husband.
Shannon Richardson’s court-appointed attorney, Tonda Curry, requested the exam, saying Richardson, 35, had displayed “a pattern of behavior” that raised the question about whether she could assist in her defense. Curry’s wrote in a motion that her belief was based on a series of conversations with Richardson, who has been jailed since her June 7 arrest on a charge of sending a threatening communication to the president.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Caroline Craven’s ruling means Richardson, who is six months pregnant, will be evaluated at a medical facility within the federal Bureau of Prisons, possibly within the next 30 days, to determine whether she can assist in her defense.
“She has never been inside a jail before, and that’s a very, very harrowing experience, especially when you’re older and pregnant,” Curry said, elaborating on Richardson’s mental state after a brief hearing Thursday. “She is suffering a lot of anxiety and panic attacks.”
Curry filed the motion requesting the exam Thursday morning, just hours before a scheduled detention hearing. The detention issue was postponed until after Richardson’s mental competency is determined.