Amoore psych exam request

Prosecutors seek psychiatric exam for accused Upper Merion baby kidnapper

COURTHOUSE >> Prosecutors have asked a judge to order a Chester County woman to cooperate with a prosecution psychiatrist seeking to evaluate her mental condition now that she has hinted she was legally insane when she allegedly kidnapped a baby from its mother at the King of Prussia Plaza shopping complex.

In court papers filed Monday, Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Brianna Ringwood asked Judge William R. Carpenter to order Cheri Amoore to appear and cooperate at a Nov. 9 examination by Dr. John S. O’Brien at the county detective bureau in Norristown. Ringwood suggested that defense lawyer Marc Steinberg and a detective may be present during the examination.

Ringwood indicated in court papers she is seeking the judge’s order because the parties have failed to reach an agreement regarding O’Brien’s proposed examination of Amoore.

“Specifically, where a criminal defendant has provided notice of his/her intent to assert an insanity defense at trial, the court, upon motion of the commonwealth, shall order the defendant to submit to an examination by the commonwealth’s mental health expert,” Ringwood wrote in court papers citing state law.

In July, Amoore, 32, of the 900 block of Upper Gulph Road, Tredyffrin, through Steinberg, notified the judge she would wage an insanity defense at her upcoming trial.

“Defendant suffered from dissociative episode second-