Expert Witness Defines Defense’s First Day

Bradley Arterburn on Friday as expert witnesses take to the stand for the defense.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – On Thursday the defense for Bradley Arterburn opened with a series of professionals who have been a part of Arterburn’s treatment, or have evaluated his mental capacity before and after the death of Robert Horovitz.

Betsy Allen, a therapist for sexually abused children, had worked with Arterburn after he had been sexually abused from his ex-stepfather while Arterburn was between the ages of 8 and 11.

Allen said that she had begun working with Arterburn shortly upon the family’s arrival back to the area, when Bradley was about 12 years of age. Allen would provide that therapy at his grandmother’s house in Oskaloosa.

Arterburns defense attorney, Ken Duker, questioned Allen about what her diagnosis would have been in Bradley’s case if she would have been required to give one.

“I believe he had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) along with adjustment order.”

According to the US National Library of Medicine, PTSD is, “Post-traumatic stress disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. It can occur after you’ve seen or experienced a traumatic event that involved the threat of injury or death.”

Adjustment Disorder is described as, “ a group of symptoms, such as stress, feeling sad or hopeless, and physical symptoms that can occur after you go through a stressful life event.

The symptoms occur because you are having a hard time coping, and the reaction is stronger or greater than what would be expected for the type of event that occurred.”

The defense then called Eva Christiansen PhD, who is a Clinical Psychologist with the Cherokee Mental Health Institute.

They also highlighted her work with The Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, where she has worked as a consultant since 1991 providing consultation to their staff psychologist.

Christiansen evaluated Arterburn on April 20th of this year for approximately 6 hours.

One of the initial tests conducted was an IQ test, along with an MMPI test.

An MMPI test (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) is a frequently used personality test that is used by mental health professionals.
She also administered the Rorschach test, otherwise known as the inkblot test. This test also helps professionals determine personality characteristics.

Christiansen said that through the IQ testing portion of her evaluation, she determined that Arterburn is not mentally slow, “he’s got some pretty descent cognitive abilities.”

She said another portion of the IQ test also helps to determine speed of mental processing. “That area was low,” Christiansen stated.

In her evaluations, Christiansen said Arterburn, “Bradley is somebody who doesn’t have a lot of personality resources as far as dealing with problems. So it is easy for him to feel like he can’t handle the kinds of things he runs into, particularly under stressful circumstances.”

“Partly, this is because he can lose his grounding in reality,” Christiansen said.

Christiansen said that Arterburn’s ability in dealing with emotions is, “much more like a child. As we grow older, we tend to become capable of managing our emotions.”

“He is also somebody who is insecure and really doesn’t have much faith in himself,” Christiansen said. She further explained that he needs somebody who he can “lean on and rely on.”

Christiansen explained the results from the MMPI2 test. “The results really show a lot of high elevations, which can sometimes be that somebody is exaggerating what they’re going through. Other times, it’s like a cry for help.”

“I believe that it was a cry for help,” Christiansen said. She based this off of consistent results from other tests.

On the MMPI2 test, Christiansen reported the elevations on the clinical scales within that test. Scale 8 and Scale 2.

Scale 8 represents confused thinking, along with schizophrenia.

Scale 2 involves Depression.

Defense asked that based upon Christiansen’s interview with Arterburn, “Were you able to come up with any diagnosis?”

“I find that he was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.” Christiansen said.

She believed that the impact of those stresses that caused Arterburn’s PTSD, “He couldn’t stay grounded. So he runs away; he runs away in his mind.”
She also diagnosed Arterburn with dissociative episodes. Dissociative episodes are “characterized by disruptions of aspects of consciousness, identity, memory, motor behavior, or environmental awareness.”

Christiansen recalled discussing the sexual abuse Arterburn had suffered from by his ex-stepfather. Arterburn as a child had endured fondling, oral sex and anal sex. Arterburn was also forced to watch as his ex-stepfather sodomized his German Shepard. The ex-stepfather was also sexually inappropriate with two of Arterburns friends.

During trial, the reference by Horovitz of, ‘I like your dog’ along with his approximate size and his wearing of khaki pants are areas where the defense are using to connect Horovitz with Arterburn’s abuser.

Christiansen explained about the presence of Horovitz in the home. “He [Arterburn] was immediately scared and frightened and reminded of [ex-stepfather] and then the circumstances of similarities.”

“He could not keep himself grounded in reality,” Christiansen said.

Defense then asked Christiansen if Arterburn could differentiate between his abuser and Mr. Horovitz. “I think he was having problems with that. Really, from the first time he [Arterburn] met him [Horovitz].”

Christiansen told the Defense that, at the time of the murder, Arterburn was suffering from a dissociative episode and was unable to appreciate what was going on at the time.

Christiansen said that what he did wasn’t done to end someone’s life, but was done to protect himself and his mother.

The defense then asked Christiansen if Arterburn believed he was imminently going to be molested again?

Christiansen explained she believed that Arterburn believed he was going to be molested again and that he believed his ex-stepfather was the person there.

“Do you have an opinion to a reasonable degree of medical certainty as to whether or not on the night of this incident Bradley Arterburn was suffering from a diseased or deranged condition of the mind?” Was the question posed by the Defense to Christiansen.

“Yes.” Christiansen stated. “He was not grounded in reality and was not able to appreciate the nature of his choices.” Saying he was in a dissociative state as part of his post traumatic stress disorder.

The Defense then asked Christiansen, “Do you have an opinion to a reasonable degree of medical certainty whether or not Bradly had the mental capacity of knowing and understanding the nature and quality of the act of slicing and stabbing Robert Horovitz on June 19, 2011?”

“No.” Was the reply by Christiansen. “I do not believe he was capable of understanding.”

She further answered the Defense by answering their question about Arterburns ability to understand right from wrong by saying, “No. I don’t think he was thinking.”

“He was reacting,” Christiansen said.

Under cross examination, The State asked Christiansen, “It was clear he understood who that man [Horovitz] was?”

“No, no it was not clear,” said Christiansen.

Another point raised by the Defense was the promise Arterburn’s mother, Linda, had made to a young Arterburn. That promise being, that if a boyfriend were to make him feel uncomfortable, she would break off the relationship. Linda did not break off the relationship with Horovitz.

Court resumes at 8:30 am Monday morning.

A criminal charge is merely a criminal charge and not an indication of guilt. All suspects should be considered innocent until proven guilty.