Does Sandusky have disorder?

6-16-2012 Pennsylvania:

BELLEFONTE, Pa. — Jerry Sandusky won a court ruling Friday that will let him have an expert testify about a psychiatric condition that his lawyer said helps explain letters he wrote to his accusers and other actions being construed as him grooming victims.

Judge John Cleland granted a motion that sought to put evidence of “histrionic personality disorder” before jurors in Sandusky’s child sexual abuse case.

Cleland’s order also said the former Penn State assistant football coach must make himself available for prosecutors so they can prepare rebuttal psychiatric testimony.

The American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual calls histrionic personality disorder (See also HERE) “a pervasive pattern of excessive emotionality and attention seeking” and “often characterized by inappropriate sexually seductive or provocative behavior” and rapidly shifting emotions.

The defense motion said people with the condition would not necessarily be grooming boys to molest them but instead might be trying to “satisfy the needs of a psyche” with the disorder.

“The jury should not be misled into believing these statements and actions are likely grooming when they are just as likely or more likely histrionic in origin,” wrote defense attorney Karl Rominger in the June 11 filing. ..For the rest of this story: by The Gadsden Times