Friday, June 24, 2011

Veterans Court helps wrongly accused veteran heal

Man wrongly accused of murder placed on probation for gun violation
Published: Thursday, June 23, 2011 9:09 p.m. MDT
By Dennis Romboy, Deseret News

Utah County authorities dropped charges against the Mortensens last December after two other suspects were arrested. One pleaded guilty to aggravated murder this month; the other awaits trial.

SALT LAKE CITY — A Payson man wrongly accused of killing his father will be placed on probation for violating federal firearms law.

U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell sentenced Roger Kay Mortensen to 36 months probation and ordered him to continue participating in the veteran's court program. Campbell also told Mortensen, 49, that she will closely monitor him in light of a recent verbal altercation in which he threateningly shouted, "I just got out of jail for murder."

"I believe you can make it," she said. "But that doesn't mean I won't be watching very carefully because I will."

Mortensen suffered a traumatic brain injury in an ATV accident in 1994 that left him with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and anger management issues. As a Navy veteran, he qualified for federal veteran's court which operates much like drug court. He has attended the court since being charged and is on medication and seeing a psychologist.
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Man wrongly accused of murder placed on probation

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