You misdiagnosed Susan, shrink told
Defence submits string of text messages in bid to prove suicide
SUSAN Rohde’s psychologist Jane Newcombe has been accused of neglect, misdiagnosis and incompetence. Rohde, the wife of real estate mogul Jason Rohde, was murdered on July 24, last year. Her husband is on trial in the Western Cape High Court for her murder.
The defence is arguing that Rohde hanged herself in the bathroom in a room at the Spier Wine Hotel. However, Newcombe, who had been counselling Rohde, said she posed no suicide risk.
Yesterday, defence advocate Pete Mihalik challenged Newcombe’s professionalism, based on WhatsApp messages sent by the Susan to her husband. “Based on all facts, you were not only negligent and incompetent; but you misdiagnosed her. You’re only sticking to your version because you fear being sued for malpractice.
“No matter how much we say that things indicated it’s suicide you won’t agree to it.”
Mihalik said Rohde, after finding out about her husband’s affair with a co-worker, flew to Cape Town without notifying anyone and visited all the places her husband and his mistress went to. She took photos of all the places including the mistress’s workplace. She also suffered from insomnia, acquired a smoking habit and drank a lot, Mihalik said. The couple’s marriage counsellor recommended Rohde be hospitalised for depression, he added.
The defence highlighted communication where Susan expressed suicidal thoughts to her husband. On April 29, 2016, she wrote: “Sometimes I just want to die.” On May 9, she wrote: “…I know for the whole 302 days you were with her you wanted to leave me… that’s why I was so sad. 302 days I was sad. Now for 72 days I’ve felt like dying.” Eight days later she wrote: “I will personally murder her then.”
On May 26, she sent: “All these therapists are worried that I might kill myself and you act like I am paranoid…” In June, she wrote: “You know I am dying.”
Newcombe said: “I still maintain she was not suicidal. They had days where they had a connection; before the fight pops up again. In May, June and the beginning of July they would be able to communicate and deal with the aggression.” Newcombe said Rohde used exaggerated language and that her communication should be read in context.