NEW YORK At a hearing Monday in Manhattan in which he ruled filmmaker Dinesh DSouza must continue community service for four more years, U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman said he considers DSouzas violation of federal campaign-finance laws to be evidence of a psychological problem and ordered further counseling. DSouzas defense counsel Benjamin Brafman provided evidence to the court that the psychiatrist DSouza was ordered to see found no indication of depression or reason for medication. In addition, the psychologist DSouza subsequently consulted provided a written statement concluding there was no need to continue the consultation, because DSouza was psychologically normal and well adjusted.
But Judge Berman, who was appointed by Bill Clinton, disagreed, effectively overruling the judgment of the two licensed psychological counselors the U.S. probation department had approved as part of DSouzas criminal sentence.
I only insisted on psychological counseling as part of Mr. DSouzas sentence because I wanted to be helpful, the judge explained. I am requiring Mr. DSouza to see a new psychological counselor and to continue the weekly psychological consultation not as part of his punishment or to be retributive.
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2015/07/psych-major-judge-overrides-doctors-on-dsouza/#mE7wEbR1lykuEjch.99