A federal judge in Florida has ordered a psychiatric evaluation for Thomas Markle, the estranged father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, to determine whether he is mentally competent to face a criminal prosecution.
US Magistrate Judge Lindsay Griffin raised concerns about the 82-year-old's ability to understand the proceedings and assist his defence, citing his health, advanced age and apparent memory difficulties during his initial appearance in Tampa on November 6.
Markle faces one federal count of possessing child sexual abuse material. The US Department of Justice announced his arrest on November 6, alleging that he kept the material in two Los Angeles-area storage units rented since 2008.
According to prosecutors, FBI agents executing search warrants seized approximately 78 items, including slides, film negatives and books containing suspected abuse material. An affidavit accompanying the complaint alleges that some photographs depict Markle with underage girls. These allegations have not been proven in court.
Griffin appointed forensic psychiatrist Dr Amie Gerodimos to conduct an independent examination and report her findings by November 20. The evaluation will address whether Markle can understand the nature and consequences of the case and properly assist his lawyer. The order does not itself establish that he is incompetent.
No plea was entered at his initial hearing. Markle was released on personal recognisance subject to home detention and electronic monitoring. His court-appointed lawyer, Mary Claire Wolf, did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.
Markle has previously denied the accusations. Meghan's spokesperson declined to comment on his arrest when approached by CNN.
If convicted, Markle faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The Justice Department emphasised that a criminal complaint contains allegations and that he remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
