ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (AP) — The attorney for a Vermont woman charged with killing a popular St. Johnsbury prep school teacher has been given a deadline to give prosecutors all documents about a psychological examination of his client.
The attorney for Patricia Prue is claiming his client suffers from a multiple personality disorder and his legal strategy is to use an insanity defense at trial.
Prue is facing a life sentence if she’s convicted of her alleged role in killing St. Johnsbury Academy teacher Melissa Jenkins in March 2012.
The Caledonian Record reports a judge ordered defense attorney Brian Marsicovetere to turn over to prosecutors by June 12 all documents about Prue’s psychological examination.
Marsicovetere told the judge he was being slowed by the large amount of evidence that has to be examined.
The 35-year-old Prue and her husband, 32-year-old Allen Prue, face kidnapping and first-degree murder charges in the March 2012 death of Melissa Jenkins. Police allege the Prues lured Jenkins from her home and then killed her.
They have both pleaded not guilty.
Patricia Prue’s trial is expected to take place later this year, although no date has been set. It has been moved out of Caledonia County, but the court has not yet said where it will take place.
Attorneys in the case say they expect the trial to last three weeks.
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