Syracuse, NY - A Syracuse firefighter accused of making a terrorist threat at the fire department credit union office last week was ordered today to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. City Court Judge Jeffrey Merrill ordered the informal mental examination for Douglas Martin when Martin showed up in court for a scheduled preliminary hearing. The hearing, which is held in...
Douglas MartinSyracuse, NY - A Syracuse firefighter accused of making a terrorist threat at the fire department credit union office last week was ordered today to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.
City Court Judge Jeffrey Merrill ordered the informal mental examination for Douglas Martin when Martin showed up in court for a scheduled preliminary hearing.
The hearing, which is held in cases where defendants are still in custody on felony charges, was canceled because Martin had been freed on bail.
Martin, 47, of 706 S. Beech St., was charged Saturday with making a terrorist threat the previous day when he was at the credit union office and he made reference to a disgruntled black worker who killed six co-workers and then himself in a shooting in Connecticut last week.
Authorities also have accused him of making what was perceived as a death threat against Deputy Fire Chief Charles Duffy the day before the credit union incident.
Martin contends his comments were misinterpreted.
When Merrill ordered the mental exam today, defense lawyer Edward Klein reported Martin already was involved in some mental health treatment. He did not elaborate.
Merrill told Martin in court this morning that in these “post 9-11 days” of heightened sensitivity to terrorism, such threats are not considered humorous.
The judge also asked Martin if he was facing any new charges involving trespass allegations at the Carousel Center mall from Wednesday evening. Martin said he was not and the judge did not elaborate further.
The judge adjourned the felony threat case to Sept. 14. He also adjourned a misdemeanor stalking case – in which Martin is accused of stalking a city school teacher after she broke up with him in May – to the same date.
Klein declined any comment on the Martin case as he left court.
Barrie Gewanter of the Central New York Chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union left court with Martin. Contacted by phone later, Gewanter refused to comment on why she was present.