Skip to content
VOZ

A judge has ordered a psychiatric evaluation for Meghan Markle's father following his arrest on charges of possessing child pornography

Thomas Markle, 82, was arrested by FBI agents in Florida. Authorities are investigating the discovery of child sexual abuse material in two storage units he had been renting in Los Angeles for nearly two decades.

A judge has ordered a psychiatric evaluation for Meghan Markle's father following his arrest on charges of possessing child pornography

Meghan Markle (C), Duchess of SussexAFP

Diane Hernández
Published by
Diane Hernández

Published

2 minutes read

A federal judge has ordered a psychiatric evaluation of Thomas Markle, father of the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, to determine whether he is mentally fit to face legal proceedings for alleged possession of child sexual abuse material.

The decision was made by Judge Lindsay Griffin in Tampa, Florida, after Markle, 82, appeared in court Friday, Nov. 6, following his arrest by FBI agents.

As reported by Reuters, the judge expressed doubts about his ability to understand the legal proceedings due to his health, advanced age, and apparent memory problems.

Griffin found that there were reasonable grounds to suspect that Markle might be suffering from a condition that would prevent him from understanding the nature and consequences of the proceedings or from cooperating adequately with his defense. The evaluation will be conducted by a forensic psychiatrist, who must submit their findings by November 20.

An FBI investigation

According to an official statement from the Department of Justice, Markle faces one federal charge of possession of child pornography, after investigators found alleged child sexual abuse material in two storage units she had been renting in the Los Angeles area since 2008.

During the searches, agents seized approximately 78 items, including photographs, negatives, and books, that contained suspicious images. Some of them allegedly showed the defendant with underage girls.

The investigation is also linked to allegations made in the Philippines, where Markle previously resided.

Meghan Markle's father was arrested at a senior living facility in Lakeland, Florida. During his initial court appearance, he did not enter a plea of guilty or not guilty and was released under conditions of house arrest and electronic monitoring.

The Duchess's reaction

Meghan Markle said last month that she was deeply distressed by the allegations against her father, with whom she has had a strained relationship for years.

If convicted, Thomas Markle could face a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, according to the Department of Justice.

🛠 Do you think there is an error in this article?

If you think you have detected an error or inaccuracy, please let us know by filling out the following form. Your help allows us to improve!

Recommendations