Doctor testifying in defense of Bergdahl says he suffers from PTSD, personality disorder

ABC News ^ | Nov 1, 2017 | Elizabeth McLaughlin and Conor Finnegan

[mairdie]

Former Taliban captive Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has symptoms similar to schizophrenia and is suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to a forensic psychiatrist who testified in the soldier's trial on Wednesday.

Bergdahl's lawyers called upon forensic psychiatrist and professor Dr. Charles Morgan, who specializes in working with prisoners of war and examined Bergdahl in 2016, in the trial's third day of witness testimony.

Bergdahl, 31, faces up to life in prison after he pleaded guilty to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy for abandoning his Army post in Afghanistan in June 2009.

The closing arguments in the trial could occur as soon as Thursday, military judge Army Col. Jeffery Nance said today. The emotional six day sentencing phase of the trial has included testimony from Bergdahl's fellow soldiers who were injured or killed in the aftermath of his disappearance.

Bergdahl's lawyers hope that the accounts of their witnesses will help reduce his punishment.

Morgan's diagnosis of Bergdahl, who was held by the Taliban for five years before being freed by the group in 2014, included "schizotypal personality disorder," which has similar symptoms to a lesser degree of schizophrenia.

Morgan testified that Bergdahl does not hear voices or have hallucinations, but experiences an ongoing commentary in his mind. He described the former prisoner as odd, eccentric, and preoccupied with a fantasy life.

"His view of the world is pretty bleak," Morgan told the judge in a Fort Bragg courtroom.

According to Morgan, Bergdahl's PTSD stemmed from his abusive childhood home life that included corporal punishment. The PTSD was only exacerbated from his treatment as a prisoner of war.

[mairdie]

I’m betting he gets a prison sentence but not a very long one.

[Soros Billions]

he got a hot momma too.
“I beg your pardon, Obama promised him a Rose Garden.”

[Persevero]

I really do hold the army somewhat responsible for taking him. He was rejected by the Foreign Legion I understand. He was clearly an unstable man.

[Dawgreg]

50 years in prison should cure that.

Yes and in Gitmo. His idiotic parents would be real happy about that. He’d be with his own kind........damn!!

[Dawgreg]

LOL

[dennisw]

PSTD diagnosis and sympathies used to be for those vets in actual combat like Vietnam. Now we have Puke Bergdahl who never spent a minute firing at the enemy using PSTD as an excuse to give him a light sentence?

[Pollster1]

Bergdahl is a traitor. Does that count as a personality disorder now? If so, there are a lot of democrats in Congress who should seek treatment.

[Jimmy Valentine]

What is needed for this mutt is a length of good hemp rope and a sturdy tree limb.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

[I Pvt Eddie D. Slovik #36896415 confess to the Desertion of the United States Army. At the time of my desertion we were in Albuff in France. I come to Albuff as a replacement. They were shilling the town and we were told to dig in for the night. The flowing morning they were shilling us again. I was so scared nerves and trembling that at the time the other replacements moved out I couldn’t move. I stayed their in my fox hole till it was quite and I was able to move. I then walked in town. Not seeing any of our troops so I stayed over night at a French hospital. The next morning I turned myself over to the Canadian Provost Corp. After being with them six weeks I was turned over to American M.P. They turned me lose. I told my commanding officer my story. I said that if I had to go out their again Id run away. He said there was nothing he could do for me so I ran away again AND ILL RUN AWAY AGAIN IF I HAVE TO GO OUT Their.
Signed Pvt. Eddie D. Slovik
A.S.N. 36896415]

[trebb]

Amazing that what we had to learn to conquer in the ‘50s (ADDHD-SOCIALANXIETY-PERSONALINSECURITIES, etc...) and get on with life are now excuses for everything that’s wrong....

[USS Alaska]

Horseshit!

Well said, but unlike Blue Emu, it does stink:)

[ByteMercenary]

I prefer that he encounter an affliction known around the world as “the 9mm headache”, preferably the hollow-point variety.

[mad_as_he$$]

Obama put his hand inside Mrs. Bergdahl’s dress. Did he know? Sure.

Reports are that Bo was always “off”. His PTSD is probably caused by Obama feeling his mom up with his dad watching.

[I want the USA back]

No. He suffers from hate-America and love muzzy syndrome. The cure is life in prison at hard labor, along with all ‘doctors’ and presidents who support him.

[Southern_Republican]

This was the first thing I thought about before the hearing began. Slovik did not even go over to the Germans he just ran. He should have the same fate as Slovik.

[mairdie]

>>>Amazing that what we had to learn to conquer in the ‘50s and get on with life are now excuses for everything that’s wrong

Truly said, trebb. Does that qualify him to be an official “snowflake”?

[Chode]

[ronniesgal]

you are spot on!

[trebb]

Not sure about snowflake - it’s probably his lawyer trying for sympathy - traitor for sure....