The results of a court-ordered psychological evaluation of Courtney Lockhart found he “does not now have, nor has he ever had, any serious mental illness or mental defect.”
The psychological evaluation, ordered by Russell County Judge Russell K. Bush in April, concluded Lockhart is competent to stand for trial for an armed robbery charge unrelated to the Lauren Burk incident.
The robbery took place Feb. 29 at a Wal-Mart in Russell County, the week before Lauren Burk was murdered March 4.
Lockhart pleaded not-guilty to three charges of capital murder in regards to the Burk case at his June 4 arraignment.
A separate psychological evaluation was ordered by Lee County Circuit Court Judge Jacob A. Walker III in June to determine if Lockhart is competent to stand trial for both the robbery and murder charges. The results of that evaluation are sealed, and the trial is pending until Sept. 3 when Walker will receive an update on the case.
Greg S. Weaver, an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work at Auburn University, explained why two different psychological evaluations are necessary.
“A second mental evaluation may have been authorized because of procedural requirements in capital cases or if the offenses occurred in different jurisdictions,” Weaver said.
As far as the relationship between the two psychological investigations, Weaver said the two were unrelated.
“The results of one should not influence any determination in another evaluation,” Weaver said.
Psychologist Glen D. King of Montgomery performed the evaluation and concluded Lockhart both “possesses the requisite ability to assist his legal counsel in his own defense,” and that “At the time of the alleged offense, Lockhart was not suffering from a serious mental illness or mental defect that would render him incapable of understanding the nature and quality of his actions or the wrongfulness of his acts."
The evaluation also reported other information about Lockhart’s background. King found Lockhart “had a six month tour in Korea and one year in Iraq in combat” and has a 19-year-old brother and 2-year-old daughter.
King denied Lockhart’s claims to hallucinations. “I find no evidence for the presence of hallucination, delusions, depersonalization nor derealization,” King wrote.
Because of a gag order granted by Judge Walker, King, District Attorney Nick Abbett and Lockhart’s lawyers were not available for comment.
Weaver commented about the speculation that Lockhart’s lawyers may try to plead an insanity defense.
“In Alabama, the accused has the burden of proof for proving insanity,” Weaver said. “The insanity defense is rarely used, and conflicting evaluations (of sanity) usually do not bode well for the defense.”
Lockhart’s second evaluation is being conducted by the Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation.
