Meghan Markle's father ordered to undergo psychiatric exam

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 10 Nov, 15:14 · Archive

A US judge has ordered a psychiatric examination for Thomas Markle, 82, after his arrest on charges of possessing child sexual abuse material.

Thomas Markle, 82, was arrested on Friday in Lakeland, Florida and charged with one count of possessing child sexual abuse material. According to federal prosecutors, he allegedly kept such material in storage units he rented in the Los Angeles area for nearly two decades, and similar images were found at his former home in the Philippines and at a storage unit in Mexico.

US Magistrate Judge Lindsay Griffin ordered a psychiatric examination, citing Markle's health condition, advanced age and lack of recall during his initial court appearance. The judge found reasonable cause to believe Markle was suffering from a condition that might render him mentally unable to understand the proceedings or assist in his defence. A psychiatrist was instructed to provide a report on his mental state by 20 November.

Markle was released on personal recognizance pending trial, subject to home detention and electronic monitoring. He is prohibited from travelling outside the Middle District of Florida and the Central District of California. Bill Essayli, first assistant US attorney for the Central District of California, said the allegations were extremely serious and his office would prosecute Markle to the fullest extent of federal law.

How it is being reported

• Judge orders psychiatric exam for Thomas Markle in child abuse images caseIt is not yet clear if he is mentally fit to answer to the charge against himIndependent World · 10 Nov, 15:06
• Judge orders psychiatric exam for Meghan Markle’s dad, Thomas, in vile child porn caseA federal judge in Florida has ordered a psychiatric evaluation for Thomas Markle, the estranged father of Britain's Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, to determine if he is mentally fit to answer to charges accusing him of being a child sex predator.New York Post · 10 Nov, 14:55
• Meghan Markle's father ordered to undergo psychiatric examJudge Lindsay Griffin cited Thomas Markle's "health condition," "advanced age" and "lack of recall" in the order.CBS News · 10 Nov, 12:08

In this story: Thomas Markle · Meghan Markle · Prince Harry · Judge Lindsay Griffin · Florida · Los Angeles · Philippines

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