Lockhart to undergo mental evaluation

Amy Weaver
Staff Writer
Published: May 12, 2008

Click here for Lockhart’s Order for Evaluation

There is no word yet on whether a Smiths Station man will be indicted and stand trial for allegedly killing Auburn University freshman Lauren Burk on March 4. Or if Courtney L. Lockhart, 23, is even fit to stand trial for the crime.

Burk’s murder is one of a number of cases that could have been presented to the recent grand jury, which first convened May 5. The jury is expected to wrap up sometime this week.

Lockhart is currently being held, without bond, in the Lee County Detention Facility on charges of capital murder during a kidnapping, capital murder during a robbery and capital murder during an attempted rape.

All attorneys, law enforcement and court personnel associated with the case are under a gag order not to publicly discuss the case.

According to court documents obtained by the Opelika-Auburn News on Monday, Lockhart is to undergo a mental evaluation. The request was made by Joel Collins, his lead defense counsel out of Phenix City, in an effort to prove Lockhart is not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. The Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation is to conduct the test, but court documents do not indicate when it will take place.

Dr. Doug Hankes, a licensed psychologist and director of student counseling services at AU, has never had to conduct such a test, but said they are quite intensive and time consuming. Besides a clinical interview, he said the person must undergo a full battery of tests, all in an attempt to see if they are “legitimately mentally ill or faking it.”

Opelika attorney Julian McPhillips said it’s up to the district attorney to even mention the psychological test to the grand jury or not.

“Remember grand jury proceedings are very one-sided,” he said.

But once a suspect is indicted, that’s when McPhillips said the issue of mental capacity will be an issue for the defense.

Lockhart was charged with the three capital murder counts March 8.

Burk was found by authorities on the roadway of North College Street between Lee Road 72 and U.S. Highway 280 shortly after 9 p.m. March 4. She was transported to East Alabama Medical Center where she later died as a result of a single gunshot wound. Her car, a 2001 black Honda Civic, was found around 9:30 p.m. engulfed in flames in the Hinton Field parking lot on campus.