A woman that attempted to dress the part of what she believed would be correct for someone afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in an attempt to get out of jury duty, further alerted authorities when she boasted about her feat on a radio program. As reported by ABC news, the woman, S.C., has since pleaded guilty to second-degree perjury and attempting to influence a public servant.
According to an affidavit, Denver resident S.C. appeared for jury duty wearing hair curlers, shoes that didn't match and looking unkempt. When being interviewed by Denver District Court Judge Anne Mansfield, S.C. explained that she had "broke out of domestic violence in the military" which caused PTSD as a "repercussion(s)."
Court reporter K.W. told investigators that S.C.'s "makeup looked like something you would wear during a theater performance." K.W. also recalled that "When the judge asked the entire panel if anyone had a mental illness, (S.C.) stated she had difficulties getting ready in the morning, which was apparent to me by the way she was dressed."
Given her behavior, Judge Mansfield released S.C. from performing jury duty.
However, four months afterwards, Judge Mansfield was listening to a local radio program in which author "Char from Denver" – Char was S.C.'s pen name – bragged about how she was able to get out of her civic duties by pretending that she had a mental illness.
According to the Denver District Attorney, S.C. has been given a two-year deferred judgment for the felony count of attempting to influence a public servant, two years of probation for the misdemeanor count of second-degree perjury and must complete 40 hours of community service.
Dr. J.C., a psychiatrist at Cleveland's University Hospitals Case Medical Center, commented to reporters, "As a mental health professional, I find this disturbing and upsetting, PTSD is a very serious, life threatening illness. And things like this tend to trivialize it."
People truly suffering with PTSD have experienced a traumatic event, such as domestic abuse or fighting in a war, which can leave them feeling numb, angry and suicidal.
In regards to S.C.'s "manipulative" use of the disorder Dr. J.C. said, "I find these sorts of things distracting and inappropriate. That sort of criminal behavior has nothing to do with mental illness."
As an author, J.C. wrote a book called "Seven Initiations with El-Way's Secrets" – in which she quotes the Bible to help her readers "deal with difficult relationships and situations." In an effort to defend her behavior, and further attest that she struggled with both domestic abuse and mental illness, J.C. gave a copy of her book to investigators.
According to reporters, J.C. was unable to use her book to prove her claim that she had ever been diagnosed with PTSD.
Dr. A.B., the clinical assistant professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at NYU Langone Medical Center, explained to reporters, "I think this is problematic on a number of levels. Mental illness certainly could interfere with someone's ability to serve on a jury, but it isn't something as stereotypical as dressing and acting the way she did. Many people have mental illness and you'd never know. They don't stand out. In that way, I think it contributes to the negative stereotype."
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