Defense Requests Mental Evaluation for Ex-Martinsville Teacher
Defense Requests Mental Evaluation for Ex-Martinsville Teacher Accused of Sex Crimes
MARTINSVILLE, Ind.–Attorneys for Brittany Fortinberry are asking a court in Morgan County to consider her for a mental evaluation, to determine whether a possible disorder could be used in her defense.
Fortinberry, 31, of Martinsville, has been charged with more than 20 crimes related to the sexual abuse and molestation of minors.
She has claimed before that she has borderline personality disorder and has trouble maintaining relationships. Now her attorneys have filed a “notice of mental disease or defect”, saying in court documents that Frtinberry “likely suffers from a mental disease or defect, but lacks the expertise to proffer whether (she) appreciated the wrongfulness of the conduct at the time of the offense.”
The court could appoint two or three mental health professionals to examine her.
If it is determined Fortinberry has a mental disease, that could be used in her defense, or a judge could rule her unfit to face the charges.
The first charges came in February when two students accused the former Eminence High School teacher of exposing them to pornography. Following that several other students came forward, accusing her of child molestation and sexual misconduct with minors, and other illegal acts with minor boys.
